Russian law enforcement authorities on Friday announced criminal charges against Lev Shlosberg, one of the few remaining politicians in the country openly opposed to Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Shlosberg, 61, used to head the Pskov regional branch of the systemic opposition party Yabloko and has consistently criticized the Ukraine war, calling it a tragedy in social media posts and YouTube videos.While investigators opened a criminal case against him in October for allegedly violating Russia's restrictive "foreign agent" law, formal charges were filed only on Friday.Under the "foreign agent" law, individuals labeled as such must include a lengthy disclaimer on all public statements, including social media posts.
Authorities accuse Shlosberg of failing to comply with this requirement, an allegation he denies.Shlosberg said Friday that he has been barred from leaving his home region of Pskov in western Russia while the criminal case proceeds.A former lawmaker in Pskov's regional parliament, Shlosberg faces up to two years in prison if convicted of the new charges.
He has previously been fined multiple times for "discrediting" the Russian military and has expressed support for political prisoners inside Russia.Despite his opposition to the Kremlin and the war, Shlosberg has faced criticism from other Russian opposition figures for his cautious approach to the conflict.
He has condemned Ukrainian counteroffensives and criticized opposition members who have endorsed or justified Kyiv's attacks on Russian border regions including Kursk.