Russia tightens its grip on dissent, immediately following the detention of popular blogger Ilya Remeslo and the legal prohibition of former MP Boris Nadezhdin from gathering campaign signatures.
Remeslo – a former Putin loyalist who turned anti‑war last March – was remanded for two months on suspicion of spreading false information about the armed forces. The court noted his “Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin” post on Telegram was deemed disinformation, a charge that carries a potential prison term. He says he was sent to a psychiatric facility for a month, a claim he now contests.
Nadezhdin, a 63‑year‑old politician who staged an anti‑war presidential bid in 2022, was convicted of “displaying extremist symbols”. The ruling bars him from collecting signatures for the September Duma elections and fines him 1,000 roubles. He also faces a travel ban that limits any exit from Russia. Nadezhdin argues the verdict is a pretext to silence his anti‑war stance and that his accounts were frozen, leaving him unable to pay the fine.
These moves occur amid growing domestic criticism of the war. Pollsters report Putin’s approval falls to 65‑66%, and traffic reports show fuel shortages across Moscow. The United Kingdom and four European states, citing Navalny’s death, say they are confident he was “poisoned with a lethal toxin”, a stance that further inflames the Kremlin’s narrative.
