Russian Blogger Detained After Turning Against Putin

Russian blogger and lawyer Ilya Remeslo has been detained on suspicion of spreading false information about the Russian armed forces. State news agency TASS, citing law enforcement sources, reported that he faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Based in St. Petersburg, Remeslo was previously a prominent pro-Kremlin figure. He became widely known as a vocal critic of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in 2024. In March 2026, however, he made a dramatic reversal, publishing a manifesto titled Five Reasons Why I Stopped Supporting Vladimir Putin.

In the manifesto, Remeslo condemned Russia's war in Ukraine, criticized the suppression of free speech and called on President Vladimir Putin to step down and stand trial.

Just days after publishing the manifesto, he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in St. Petersburg. The circumstances remain unclear, and it is not known whether the hospitalization was voluntary. Remeslo was released about a month later but did not remain free for long. He is now facing criminal prosecution by the same government he once publicly supported.

(Reuters, Max)