Russian Opposition Politician Lev Shlosberg Sentenced to 11 Years for Anti-War Statements

On Monday, Lev Shlosberg, the deputy chairman of the Yabloko party and a well-known opposition figure, was sentenced to 11 years and one month in prison by a Russian court. His conviction was linked to his vocal opposition to the war in Ukraine, which included a debate where he advocated for an end to the conflict and a Telegram post featuring a tabloid cover showing a bloodied woman alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin. Shlosberg, 63, previously served in the Pskov regional legislature from 2016 to 2021 and faced charges of "discrediting" and disseminating "false information" about the Russian military in Pskov, located approximately 600 km northwest of Moscow. He has dismissed the allegations as baseless. On the same day, Russia's Supreme Court upheld a prior ruling that excluded Yabloko from the ballot for the parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18-20, rejecting the party's appeal. Yabloko remains the only political party openly opposing the war, reflecting the Kremlin's intensified crackdown on dissent since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, now entering its fifth year. These developments underscore the regime's unwillingness to tolerate any criticism regarding the conflict.