Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin, charged with "demonstrating extremist symbols", appears in court in the town of Dolgoprudny in the Moscow region on July 17, 2026. Photo: Alexander Nemenov / AFP / Lehtikuva
International news
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."
