Russian authorities have intensified their pressure on domestic critics, detaining a well-known blogger and blocking a local politician from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections. The actions coincide with recent data indicating a dip in President Vladimir Putin's public approval ratings.
Ilya Remeslo, a blogger who previously supported the Russian government before publicly denouncing the president in March, has been remanded in pre-trial custody for two months. Authorities accuse him of spreading false information regarding the military, specifically citing a Telegram post in which he criticized the president. Remeslo, who was previously held in a psychiatric facility against his will, recently claimed on social media that the current political situation is becoming increasingly unstable for the leadership.
In a separate development, politician Boris Nadezhdin has been convicted of displaying extremist symbols. The ruling, which includes a 1,000-rouble fine, effectively prevents the 63-year-old from collecting the signatures required to run for parliament in September. Nadezhdin, who previously attempted to run for president on an anti-war platform, denied the charges and argued that the legal proceedings are designed to silence his political activity. He noted that his financial accounts have been frozen, rendering him unable to pay the fine.
These developments occur as state-affiliated and independent polling organizations report a decline in President Putin’s approval ratings. Both the Public Opinion Foundation and the state-owned VTsIOM have recorded figures near 65-66%, marking the lowest levels since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Source: BBC News
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