Sergei Medvedev, a neighborhood council member within the Russian metropolis of Perm, has fled to neighboring Georgia after backlash and nameless threats following an internet put up during which he criticized President Vladimir Putin in addition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a put up he shared on the Russian social media community Vkontakte on December 31, Medvedev mentioned: “Russia, get up! They’re killing you! It’s horrible to appreciate that the monster who’s behind that is working for election once more.”
He added: “I would like the conflict to finish! I need to see Russia free from Putin’s shackles.”
The put up resulted in his expulsion from the Communist social gathering final week after the Perm metropolis council and regulation enforcement businesses requested that the social gathering “give a authorized evaluation” of Medvedev’s social media posts criticizing the conflict.
The chief of the Communist Celebration in Perm area, Kseniya Aytakova, mentioned “let the competent authorities proceed their work,” referring to the police. Her social gathering additionally launched a prolonged assertion affirming its help for the conflict in Ukraine.
From exile, Medvedev advised POLITICO: “I simply couldn’t bear it anymore. It’s unattainable to disregard what’s taking place. Persons are smiling, politicians are providing good needs. However what’s the purpose? The nation is in decline, but there are celebrations in every single place.”
He added: “The entire world seems at us as if we’re insane. We’re turning into a pariah nation. Each sane individual understands this.”
Medvedev mentioned he believed many individuals in Russia really feel the identical manner, however have been silenced by concern. “It’s like in Nazi Germany. How might one converse out towards Hitler there?”
Russia’s crackdown on critics has intensified since Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Current instances embrace the illegal imprisonment of opposition chief Alexei Navalny and the expulsion of international journalists together with Eva Hartog, a POLITICO reporter, final August.