Nadezhdin, Putin Critic, Flees Russia for France
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- Boris Nadezhdin, a Putin critic identified across coverage as an anti-war candidate, has departed Russia after authorities barred him from running for parliament, per AP News.
- Nadezhdin fled to France, with The Guardian framing his departure as part of a pre-election crackdown on dissent in Russia.
Why it matters: Nadezhdin's exile underscores how Russia's electoral system functions as a gatekeeper, removing even nominally permitted anti-war voices before votes are cast — a concrete data point in the broader pattern of pre-election suppression.
