# Anti-war politician flees Russia amid pre-election crackdown on dissent

https://mins.news/en/item/12450

- The Guardian, 2026-08-03 15:49 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/03/anti-war-politician-flees-russia-pre-election-crackdown-dissent-boris-nadezhdin

> Boris Nadezhdin, the Russian anti-war politician who rose to prominence after challenging Vladimir Putin in 2024, says he is now in France. He has left for Paris as Moscow tightens its pressure on dissent ahead of parliamentary elections expected later this year. Nadezhdin is a veteran liberal politician whose long-shot presidential campaign unexpectedly gained momentum. Electoral authorities ultimately barred him from standing in that contest.

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