Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin has left Russia after authorities blocked his bid to stand in September’s parliamentary election, marking the departure of one of the last public critics of the war in Ukraine who had remained inside the country.
His announcement came in a video posted on Telegram from Paris, where he stood in front of the Eiffel Tower.
“Good news: I’m alive and free. Unfortunately, I’m not in Russia for the time being,” Nadezhdin said. He added that he needed time “to look around and figure out life going forward.”
The 63-year-old rose to prominence during Russia’s 2024 presidential election after launching a campaign that called for an end to the war in Ukraine. His campaign attracted support across the country and volunteers collected more than 100,000 signatures in support of his candidacy.
Russia’s Central Election Commission refused to register him after ruling that more than 9,000 signatures submitted by his campaign were invalid. That decision left President Vladimir Putin facing no established anti-war challenger. Putin secured a fifth presidential term in the March 2024 election.
Nadezhdin challenged the decision in court without success.
He later turned his attention to September’s State Duma election and announced plans to seek a parliamentary seat. His campaign ended after a series of legal decisions prevented him from standing.
Russia’s Justice Ministry designated Nadezhdin a “foreign agent” in July, accusing him of spreading false information about the government and encouraging participation in unauthorised demonstrations. Under Russian law, the designation carries reporting requirements, state oversight and restrictions that prevent candidates from standing in elections.
Days later, a court found him guilty of displaying “extremist symbols” after a social media repost included a brief image of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Nadezhdin rejected the accusation and described the case as absurd.
The combination of the foreign agent designation and the administrative conviction barred him from taking part in the parliamentary election.
The Associated Press reported that Nadezhdin had earlier been prevented from leaving Russia after police briefly detained him on the extremism-related charge. His video from Paris did not explain whether that restriction had been lifted before his departure. AP also reported that he had previously said he was considering leaving the country after pressure from the authorities increased.
Last week, BBC Russian interviewed Nadezhdin from an undisclosed location before his departure. He said his political future had become uncertain after his parliamentary campaign collapsed.
“If you’re a politician, you should participate in politics while you have the opportunity. How do you participate in politics? By participating in elections,” he told BBC Russian.
Nadezhdin is a veteran politician with experience inside the Russian political system. During the 1990s, he served as an adviser to Sergei Kiriyenko, who now holds a senior position in the Kremlin. He later served as a member of parliament and, more recently, as a municipal councillor.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, authorities expanded measures against opposition politicians, independent media, human rights organisations and civil society groups. Hundreds of people have received prison sentences while thousands have left the country.
September’s parliamentary election is expected to preserve the dominance of the ruling United Russia party in the State Duma. Opposition parties represented in parliament have continued to support the Kremlin on major votes.
HT