Russian opposition figure Lev Shlosberg arrested for calling for ceasefire in Ukraine

One of Russia’s few remaining domestic critics of the war in Ukraine, veteran opposition politician Lev Shlosberg, has been arrested for allegedly “repeatedly discrediting the army,” his party announced on Monday.

Shlosberg, 61, is a prominent member of the liberal Yabloko party and a former regional legislator from the northwestern city of Pskov. Known for his long-standing criticism of President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s foreign policy, he was detained over a video debate from earlier this year in which he advocated for an immediate ceasefire in Ukrainе, an appeal that runs counter to the Kremlin’s official narrative.

According to Yabloko’s statement, Shlosberg has been placed in a temporary detention center, and a criminal case has been launched against him for his public remarks supporting a cessation of hostilities. The authorities also raided his home, party offices, and even the residence of his 96-year-old father.

Shlosberg is due to appear in court on 11 June, facing charges under legislation that bans the “discrediting” of the armed force, an offense that has been widely applied since its introduction in March 2022, just weeks after the invasion began. He had previously been fined twice under the same law.

Russian authorities have opened a criminal case against Shlosberg over a video from January “in which the politician defends his position on the need for a swift ceasefire” in Ukraine.

A consistent voice of dissent

While the majority of Russia’s opposition figures have either fled the country or been imprisoned, Shlosberg has remained in Russia, attempting to work within the law despite increasing repression. His decision to stay and continue voicing opposition, even in moderate terms, has made him a target not only for the Kremlin but also for some exiled dissidents, who accuse him of being insufficiently vocal in condemning Moscow’s aggression.

Yet Shlosberg’s record of opposition to Russian militarism predates the 2022 invasion. He came to national prominence in 2014, when he publicly exposed the secret funerals of Russian soldiers who had died fighting in eastern Ukraine, at a time when the Kremlin denied any military involvement there.

His reporting, published in the Pskov-based newspaper Pskovskaya Guberniya, led to violent reprisals and his eventual removal from the regional parliament.

Throughout the years, Shlosberg has been one of the few Russian politicians to speak openly about the dangers of authoritarianism, the erosion of democratic institutions, and the human cost of foreign military adventures. He has also been a vocal opponent of the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin’s manipulation of public opinion through state propaganda.

War censorship and the shrinking space for dissent

Shlosberg’s arrest follows a broader pattern of criminalisation of anti-war expression in Russia. Since February 2022, thousands of Russians have faced fines or jail terms for criticising the war, while independent media outlets have been shut down or forced into exile.

Under newly expanded laws on military censorship, individuals can face up to five years in prison for spreading information deemed to “discredit” the Russian military, and up to 15 years for “spreading false information” about it, terms frequently applied to those calling the conflict a war rather than a “special military operation.”

A symbolic arrest

While Lev Shlosberg may not command the same international recognition as jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, his arrest carries a potent symbolism. It signals that even the most measured, legally cautious criticism from within the system will no longer be tolerated.

For Kremlin watchers, it may also reflect a deepening insecurity in the regime as it braces for prolonged conflict abroad and rising economic pressure at home.

The growing crackdown is likely to further discourage remaining dissenters from speaking out publicly and could accelerate the emigration of political activists and journalists. It also raises the stakes for opposition groups like Yabloko, which are attempting to maintain a presence in Russia despite being sidelined from formal politics.

Caption: Opposition politician Lev Shlosberg, Yabloko.ru