Russia Intensifies Crackdown on Anti-war Dissenters
WHO:
Meduza - Ilya Remeslo is a pro-Kremlin blogger who has been detained on charges of spreading “fake news” about the Russian military.
Meduza - Ilya Remeslo, a pro-Kremlin blogger and informant, published a post criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin.
BBC - Boris Nadezhdin is an anti-war critic barred from running for the Duma (Russian parliament).
BBC - Ilya Remeslo is a blogger who has been remanded in custody.
WHAT:
Meduza - Remeslo was detained on July 17, with the case opened over posts on his Telegram channel. His lawyer clarified that the posts criticizing Putin triggered the case.
Meduza - Video of Remeslo's detention shows him lying face-down on his bedroom floor with his hands behind his back, wearing only underwear.
Meduza - Remeslo called the war in Ukraine “absolutely deadlocked” and stated it is causing serious damage to the Russian economy. He accused Putin of “not wanting to hear his voters” and demanded that “Vladimir Putin must resign and be put on trial as a war criminal and a thief.”
BBC - An anti-war critic was fined, while another was held as part of Russia's crackdown on dissent.
BBC - Nadezhdin denied the charges against him, claiming their real aim was to silence him.
WHERE:
BBC - The events are taking place in Russia.
WHY:
BBC - The crackdown on dissent is aimed at suppressing anti-war voices.
HOW:
Meduza - Sources at the Russian business news outlet RBC reported on the circumstances of Remeslo's detention.
Meduza - Remeslo confirmed that he wrote the post criticizing Putin himself, not a hacker, and stated, “They’ll put me on trial — well, let them try. I also have plenty of interesting things to say in court.”
BBC - Nadezhdin stated he would not be able to pay any fine because all his accounts had been frozen.
(UPDATED July 18, 2026 16:14 UTC)
Ilya Remeslo, a pro-Kremlin blogger, has been detained on charges of spreading "fake news" about the Russian military, with his case stemming from posts on his Telegram channel that criticized Putin. Video footage of his arrest reveals him lying face-down on his bedroom floor in only his underwear, hands restrained behind his back. Sources from the Russian business news outlet RBC have reported on the details surrounding Remeslo's detention, which took place on July 17.
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(UPDATED July 18, 2026 14:21 UTC)
Ilya Remeslo, a pro-Kremlin blogger and informant, has publicly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that the war in Ukraine is "absolutely deadlocked" and inflicting serious damage on the Russian economy. In his post, Remeslo accused Putin of ignoring the concerns of his voters and called for his resignation and trial as a war criminal and a thief. He also confirmed that he authored the post himself, asserting, "They’ll put me on trial — well, let them try. I also have plenty of interesting things to say in court."
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(UPDATED July 18, 2026 13:21 UTC)
In Russia, anti-war critic Boris Nadezhdin has been fined and barred from running for the Duma, while blogger Ilya Remeslo has been remanded in custody as part of a broader crackdown on dissent. Nadezhdin denied the charges against him, asserting that the government's real intention is to silence voices opposing the war, and he also mentioned that he cannot pay the fine because all his accounts have been frozen. This crackdown reflects ongoing efforts to suppress anti-war sentiments within the country.