"Oh, this is just great...": Moscow sentences Navalny ally Wolkov to 18 years in prison in absentia
Convicted Russian associate of Navalny, Wolkov, receives 18-year prison sentence.
In a surprising turn of events, a Moscow court has handed Leonid Wolkov, a close associate of the late Alexey Navalny, an 18-year prison sentence in absentia. The ruling also includes a fine of 22,000 euros, as per reports from Russian agencies. This verdict, however, is yet to be finalized.
Wolkov faces over 40 criminal charges, including organizing and financing an "extremist" group, justifying terrorism, spreading false information about the military, and much more. He has been living in exile since 2019.
On his Telegram channel, the opposition figure sarcastically commented on the sentence, stating, "They gave me a ten-year internet ban, as demanded. And I've already started using it... Oh, this is just great..." He's also reported to be banned from administering websites for six years.
Putin's regime under fire: Wolkov's strong criticism
In an interview with ntv.de before Navalny's demise, Wolkov passionately criticized the Kremlin leadership. He termed Putin a major threat to the entire civilized world and expressed his belief that the Russian president must be destroyed. This unrelenting pressure on Wolkov continues even in his exile, with recent attacks and searches at his parents' house by the Russian FSB security service.
Politics | Navalny | Russia | Kremlin | Vladimir Putin | Ukraine | Lithuania
- Enrichment Data: Leonid Volkov, a key Russian opposition figure and close ally of the late Alexei Navalny, was convicted by a Moscow military court in absentia on June 11, 2025, of multiple criminal charges. The extensive list of allegations reflect Russia's common tactics to suppress dissent, including justifying terrorism, organizing and financing an extremist organization, spreading false information about the military, and several others. These charges are typically used to silence political opposition voices.
Passionately criticizing the Kremlin leadership, Wolkov expressed his belief that Putin must be destroyed, a stance that continues to put him under pressure even in exile. In response to this verdict, Wolkov sarcastically commented, "And I've already started using the internet... Oh, this is just great..." He's also been banned from administering websites for six years. The case is widely viewed as politically motivated, part of a broader crackdown on opposition voices in Russia.
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionising radiation, given the recent events surrounding Leonid Wolkov, a key Russian opposition figure. Wolkov's conviction by a Moscow military court in absentia on June 11, 2025, of multiple charges is seen as a political move, part of a broader crackdown on opposition voices in Russia, reminiscent of the Kremlin's tactics to suppress dissent.
