Russia arrests former pro‑Kremlin blogger, fines opposition politician

Russian authorities detained Ilya Remeslo, a 42‑year‑old former pro‑Kremlin blogger who in March posted a Telegram manifesto titled “Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin”. He was taken into custody in St Petersburg and charged with spreading “false information” about the Russian armed forces, a charge that can carry up to ten years in prison. Remeslo had earlier criticized the president as a “war criminal and thief”.

In a separate case, former MP Boris Nadezhdin, 63, was convicted of “displaying extremist symbols” and fined 1,000 roubles. The ruling bars him from gathering signatures needed to register as a parliamentary candidate and follows a recent designation of him as a foreign agent. Both actions are part of an intensified crackdown on dissent as the war in Ukraine continues.