Russian opposition figure Boris Nadezhdin announces he has left Russia

Boris Nadezhdin, a 63-year-old anti-war politician, announced via a Telegram video filmed near the Eiffel Tower that he is no longer in Russia. Weeks earlier, the Justice Ministry added him to the foreign-agent register and prevented his participation in the September parliamentary election. He also faced a minor court penalty for posting what authorities called extremist symbols, a charge he dismissed as absurd.

His departure further reduces the already dwindling number of opposition voices able to operate inside the country, as many critics of President Vladimir Putin are now imprisoned or in exile. Nadezhdin had once tried to run for the presidency in 2024 but was barred on procedural grounds by the Election Commission. He said he will update followers on his future plans once he regroups.