Pussy Riot band member Maria Alyokhina escapes Russia dressed as meals courier after criticising Putin | World News

Political activist and member of the Russian band Pussy Riot has reportedly fled the nation disguised as a meals courier after criticising Vladimir Putin.

Maria Alyokhina and her fellow band members first came to the attention of the Russian authorities after staging a protest against the Russian president inside Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012.

Regardless of being sentenced to two years in prison for his or her activism, the group continued to speak out against the Kremlin leader, with Ms Alyokhina remaining determined to fight Mr Putin's system.

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After being launched from prison, she continued her activism and arrange a news outlet focused on crime and punishment in Russia, known as Mediazona, with one other member of the band.

In April, Russian authorities placed her underneath home arrest as they tried to stop those within the nation who opposed their invasion of Ukraine.

The 33-year-old was then ordered to spend 21 days in a penal colony.

However, the band chief managed to evade the Moscow police by disguising herself as a meals courier and leaving her cellphone behind as a decoy.

She was then capable of cross into Lithuania after looking for the help of an artist from Iceland, who secured her journey documents.

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Comparing her story to a "spy novel", Ms Alyokhina told The New York Times: "I used to be completely satisfied that I made it, as a result of it was an unpredictable and big kiss-off to the Russian authorities.

"I nonetheless don't understand utterly what I've achieved."

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Ms Alyokhina added: "I do not think Russia has a right to exist anymore.

"Even earlier than, there were questions about how it is united, by what values it's united, and where it is going. However now I don't think that may be a question anymore."

In 2019, fellow bandmate Nadya Tolokonikova spoke to Sky News about her time in a prison camp and protests taking place in Russia.