Russia condemned opposition leader Maxim Kruglov to seven years in prison on Wednesday, the vice president of the Yábloko party and former deputy of the Moscow municipal Duma, in a new case that reflects the tightening of measures against critical voices to the Kremlin since the start of the war in Ukraine.
The sentence was handed down by a Moscow court, which found Kruglov guilty of spreading false information about the Russian armed forces through two posts made on the Telegram platform in April 2022, just weeks after the start of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The messages that led to the judicial process referred to issues related to the conflict. In one of the posts, Kruglov cited figures released by the United Nations regarding the number of civilian casualties recorded in Ukraine.
A Russian court sentenced an opposition leader to seven years in prison for making harsh criticisms of the country's role in the war against Ukraine
In the other, he mentioned the events that occurred in Bucha, a city located on the outskirts of Kiev where, after the withdrawal of Russian troops in March 2022, hundreds of dead civilians were found, an episode that provoked strong international condemnation and continues to be a subject of controversy between Moscow and Western governments.
The prosecution had requested a sentence of eight years in prison for the opposition leader, although the court ultimately imposed a seven-year sentence in a general regime penal colony. Kruglov rejected the charges and declared himself innocent throughout the process.
His defense argued that the accusations lacked legal basis because, when the references to Bucha were published, the Russian Ministry of Defense had still not issued an official version of the events. The lawyers argued that information based on international sources could not be classified as false when there was no official public position contradicting it.
The political leader, Grigori Yavlinsky, was present during the reading of the sentence against the leader of the Yabloko party
During his final statement before the court, Kruglov defended his actions and explained that he decided to speak out due to the gravity of the events he was observing at that time. The opposition leader described the situation as ''a hell'' and stated that he considered it essential for the events that occurred during the first months of the conflict to be investigated.
He also rejected the accusation of having acted out of political hatred. He stated that his entire public career was aimed at improving the lives of Russian citizens and expressed his hope that Russia could become, in the future, a country respected by its neighbors and where there is space for political dissent.
Family members, friends, and supporters of the opposition leader attended the hearing, as well as the historical founder of the Yábloko party, Grigori Yavlinsky. Among the witnesses presented by the prosecution was also a worker from a municipal company who initially identified himself as a political analyst and supporter of organizations linked to the ruling party.
In the face of the upcoming legislative elections to be held in September, Putin's political party has seen a decrease in its voting intention
The sentence against Kruglov comes at a politically sensitive moment for Russia. The country will hold legislative elections on September 20, amid signs of wear for United Russia, the party that supports Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Various recent polls reflect a decrease in support for the ruling party, driven by factors such as the prolonged conflict in Ukraine, drone attacks on Russian territory, and the economic difficulties affecting part of the population. Although pro-Kremlin forces maintain a clear electoral advantage, some studies show a slight increase in support for extra-parliamentary parties, including Yábloko.
