Ilya Remeslo, a Russian blogger known for his criticism of President Vladimir Putin regarding the war in Ukraine, has been detained on suspicion of disseminating false information about the armed forces, as reported by the state news agency TASS on Friday.
Previously a pro-Kremlin figure, Remeslo gained significant attention in March when he published a viral manifesto titled “Five Reasons I No Longer Support Vladimir Putin” on social media.
Law enforcement sources informed Reuters that Remeslo could face up to 10 years in prison.
Remeslo, a lawyer from Saint Petersburg who had previously become known for his public criticism of the late opposition figure Alexei Navalny, turned against Putin in the spring of 2026.
His manifesto criticized the war in Ukraine, condemned restrictions on freedom of expression, and called for Putin to step down and face trial.
Shortly after the manifesto’s release, Remeslo was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Saint Petersburg. The circumstances of his admission remain unclear, and it is unknown whether it was voluntary or involuntary. He was released approximately a month later.
News of the blogger’s detention comes after the Russian police arrested opposition figure Boris Nadejdin on Monday, who had been a presidential candidate for the 2024 elections and is currently gathering signatures for the parliamentary elections set for September 20 this year.
In April, Nadejdin stated in an interview with EFE that President Putin’s authoritarian regime is deteriorating and becoming increasingly prone to mistakes.
