Russia Expands Crackdown: Opposition Figures Targeted

Russian courts have intensified their crackdown on dissent, setting harsh penalties for prominent opposition figures. Leonid Volkov was sentenced in absentia to 18 years in prison, while Lev Shlosberg faces house arrest. Both cases are widely viewed as politically motivated as Moscow continues to suppress critics of its government.

In a continued effort to suppress dissent, Russian courts have handed down severe sentences to prominent critics of the government. On Friday, courts convicted opposition figure Leonid Volkov in absentia, sentencing him to 18 years in prison on charges that include justifying terrorism and organizing an extremist group.

Volkov, a close ally of the late Alexei Navalny, received penalties that also include a two-million ruble fine and a 10-year internet usage ban. The charges and harsh sentencing are seen as politically motivated in Russia, further tightening on the opposition amid increasing government crackdowns.

In a separate case, Lev Shlosberg of the Yabloko party was placed under house arrest in Pskov on charges of discrediting the Russian army, a charge critics argue is another political maneuver to silence calls against Russia's military actions in Ukraine. As dissent faces steep penalties, critics argue the Kremlin aims to stifle all opposition voices.

(With inputs from agencies.)