Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin announced on Monday that he has left Russia. In a video published on his Telegram channel, Nadezhdin appeared in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The good news is I’m alive and free. But sadly, not yet in Russia.
Nadezhdin stated in the video that he would take stock of the situation and figure out how to go on living.
The politician’s departure follows mounting pressure from authorities, which forced him to suspend his bid to run in the Russian parliamentary elections this September. In an interview with Meduza last month, Nadezhdin said that he and his family were weighing whether to leave Russia due to growing pressure.
Nadezhdin has been designated a 'foreign agent' in Russia, a label that prevents him from seeking public office. He previously stated that he was banned from leaving Russia. In July, he was fined 1,000 rubles ($13) for displaying 'extremist' symbols.
Political background
Nadezhdin rose to prominence during a failed 2024 presidential bid to unseat Vladimir Putin on a pro-peace platform. His political career includes serving as a Russian State Duma lawmaker from 1999 to 2003 and as a councilman in the Moscow region between 2019 and 2024.
