Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin reveals he has lost his Russian citizenship

In a series of developments, Russian opposition figure Ilya Yachine finds himself in the midst of fresh controversy, losing his Russian citizenship and facing new charges.

Yachine, a lifelong opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a close ally of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, was imprisoned in Russia in 2022 for speaking out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He was released from imprisonment in a prisoner exchange between the West and Moscow last year.

On September 8, 2023, the Russian Federal Migration Service officially revoked Yachine's Russian citizenship due to his involvement in activities viewed as opposing the government. The announcement was made by Yachine himself in a Telegram message.

Yachine now has the status of a "stateless person" and is banned from entering Russia. The new criminal case against him accuses him of refusing to acknowledge himself as an "agent of a foreign power."

The judge who started looking into the case asked the prosecutor's office to explain the qualification of "stateless person." Russian media outlet Meduza reported on the case involving Yachine.

Yachine argued that those who denounce the regime have more influence by staying in Russia. However, the Russian opposition, divided by internal power struggles, has struggled to gain credibility since Navalny's death in a prison in the Arctic in February 2024.

Almost all prominent Russian opposition figures have been imprisoned or fled the country since President Putin intensified repression of critical voices after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A new hearing regarding Yachine's case has been set for September 15th.

This latest development contextualizes the struggles of the Russian opposition, which has been grappling with military censorship and increasing Kremlin repression.