Russian opposition leader goes on hunger strike in prison, and Putin's government has "no comment"

Moscow — Vladimir Putin's government had nothing to say on Thursday about his biggest critic, opposition leader Alexey Navalny, going on hunger strike in prison to protest what he's described as a lack of proper medical care. In a handwritten statement, a picture of which was posted online by his allies on Wednesday, Navalny said that his physical condition was worsening, but that he'd been unable to see a doctor of his choice and receive necessary medications.

"I demand a doctor to be allowed to see me, and until that happens I will be on a hunger strike," Navalny said in the note. He said that he had been requesting medical assistance every day for almost a month but received little help. In a post to his Twitter account on Thursday, Navalny's team said a prison weigh-in showed the dissident had already shed almost 18 pounds in detention even before he decided to refuse food.