Russian court convicted Wolkow: 18 years in prison for Nawalny confidants!

Russian court convicted Wolkow: 18 years in prison for Nawalny confidants!

Litauen, Land - A Russian court sentenced Leonid Wolkow, a close confidante of the late opposition leader Alexej Nawalny, to 18 years in prison. The verdict, which was announced on June 11, 2025, is another step in the repressive policy of the Russian government against opposition figures. Wolkow was also sentenced to a fine of two million rubles, about 22,000 euros. He is accused of committed 40 crimes, including the organization and financing of an extremist community as well as the justification of terrorism and the spread of false information about the Russian army.

The court ruling is not yet final. Leonid Wolkow lives in exile in Lithuania and reacted to the verdict with an ironic comment on Telegram. He also emphasized that he could continue to use the Internet to raise his voice. Wolkow remains a key figure in the anti-corruption foundation (FBK), which in the past documented corruption scandal of high-ranking Russian politicians and was classified as extremist by the Russian authorities. This organization is prohibited in Russia and its members are often the goal of state repression.

background and escalation of the repression

The conviction of Wolkow is the result of the continuing persecution of Nawalny's followers, which have been under great pressure since the death of the opposition in February 2024. Nawalny died at the age of 47 in a criminal colony after being poisoned in 2020 and was arrested in 2021 after his return to Russia. This court ruling is not the first in a number of convictions that were expressed after Nawalny's death. In January 2025, three former Nawalny lawyers were sentenced to prison sentences of up to five and a half years, and four journalists were also arrested and detained in April.

The Russian authorities represent Nawalny's movement as extremist and claim that it is an organization supported by the West that wants to stir up unrest in Russia. This narrative is reinforced by the increasing repression against politicians, jornalists and human rights activists who speak against the Vladimir Putin regime. Prominent critics such as Boris Nemzow, Anna Politkowskaja and Wladimir Kara-Mursa have already become victims of violence, detention or even murder.

The current Situation of the opposition

Repression in Russia has increased further since the Ukraine War. Laws that prohibit criticism of war and the Kremlin were implemented. Many oppositions live in exile, including prominent characters such as Garry Kasparow and Michail Chodorkowski. At the same time, the Russian authorities have initiated an investigation against the writer Boris Akunin, who lives in London.

Return to normalcy seems to be impossible for many oppositionally, since they are often classified as "foreign agents". The state of human rights in Russia remains critical, while organizations such as Memorial and the Sachharow Center were dissolved due to violations of the law on "foreign agents". The conviction of Wolkow is another sign that Vladimir Putin does not tolerate any contradiction and that the dangers for the regime's critics are still great.

Developments around Leonid Wolkow and the entire opposition movement in Russia are exemplary for the challenges that activists face in a repressive political climate. While the international community observes the situation, it remains to be seen what effects these convictions will have on the remaining opposition in Russia.