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

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 towards the Russian president inside Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012.

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

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After being released from jail, she continued her activism and arrange a information outlet centered on crime and punishment in Russia, known as Mediazona, with one other member of the band.

In April, Russian authorities placed her beneath home arrest as they tried to cease those within the country 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 phone behind as a decoy.

She was then able to cross into Lithuania after searching for the assistance of an artist from Iceland, who secured her travel paperwork.

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

"I nonetheless don't perceive completely what I've achieved."

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

"Even before, there have been questions about how it's united, by what values it's united, and the place it's going. However now I don't think that could be a query anymore."

In 2019, fellow bandmate Nadya Tolokonikova spoke to Sky Information about her time in a prison camp and protests going down in Russia.