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 food courier after criticising Vladimir Putin.

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

Regardless of being sentenced to two years in prison for their activism, the group continued to talk out towards the Kremlin leader, with Ms Alyokhina remaining determined to struggle Mr Putin's system.

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

In April, Russian authorities placed her underneath house arrest as they tried to stop these 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 food courier and leaving her phone behind as a decoy.

She was then able to cross into Lithuania after searching 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 advised The New York Times: "I was happy that I made it, as a result of it was an unpredictable and large kiss-off to the Russian authorities.

"I nonetheless don't understand fully what I've accomplished."

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Ms Alyokhina added: "I don't think Russia has a proper to exist anymore.

"Even before, there were questions about how it is united, by what values it is united, and where it's going. However now I don't assume that is a query anymore."

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