Russia's authoritarian grip on dissent has tightened further, with high-profile critics of its war efforts facing mounting reprisals. The latest examples include anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin, who has been fined and effectively barred from standing in September's parliamentary elections, while prominent blogger Ilya Remeslo remains in custody on charges related to spreading false information about the military.
Mr Nadezhdin, a 63-year-old former presidential hopeful, was convicted of displaying extremist symbols, rendering him ineligible for candidacy. This ruling also followed last week's declaration that he is a "foreign agent", leading to his detention on Monday over an old video posting. The conviction comes as Mr Nadezhdin struggles with health issues – high blood pressure and diabetes – which saw him briefly collapse in court in Dolgoprudny, north of Moscow. He denies the charges, claiming they aim to silence him and prevent his candidacy; his bank accounts have been frozen, making it impossible for him to pay the 1,000 rouble (£9.50) fine.
Separately, Ilya Remeslo, a prominent blogger, was remanded in pre-trial detention for two months after appearing in court on Friday, accused of disseminating false information about the military. The charges stem from a March 2026 blog post titled 'Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin', which marked a dramatic reversal of his earlier stance as a staunch supporter of President Putin and the conflict.
Mr Remeslo's critical blog post, shared on Telegram, surprised many in Russia, particularly given his previous denunciations of opposition figures like Alexei Navalny. Following the post, he was reportedly sent to a psychiatric hospital for a month against his will. On the eve of his arrest, he posted on Telegram that President Putin's situation was "getting worse rapidly", citing an alleged energy crisis in Russia and escalating conflicts among the elite.
These actions come amid reports of a decline in President Putin's popularity. Two recent opinion polls in Russia indicate a drop in his approval ratings this month: the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) suggested a five-point fall to 66% last week, while state-owned pollster VTsIOM reported a smaller decrease, placing his rating at 65.1%, the lowest since February 2022 when the full-scale conflict in Ukraine began.
The growing internal dissent and official responses highlight the ongoing tensions within Russia as the conflict continues. As British readers watch the situation unfold, they may wonder what implications this has for UK-Russia relations and trade ties – with both countries engaging in energy partnerships and participating in international forums like the G20.