Key Points and Summary: Russian opposition politician Lev Shlosberg, 61, was arrested this week in Pskov and charged with “discrediting the Russian army,” a crime that carries a potential five-year prison sentence when attacking the Ukraine war.
-The charges stem from a January debate where Shlosberg, a senior member of the liberal Yabloko party, called the Ukraine war a game of “bloody chess” and urged for peace.
-This arrest is the latest in a series of actions against Shlosberg, who has a long history of anti-war commentary and was previously designated a “foreign agent.”
-His detention signifies a continuing crackdown by the Kremlin on the few remaining opposition voices in Russia.
Jail Time If You Attack Ukraine War in Russia
Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia has never been especially kind to opposition figures, and now, they have arrested an opposition figure for criticizing the war effort in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, Lev Shlosberg, a politician in Russia’s opposition, has been arrested and charged with “discrediting the Russian army.” The arrest came after Shlosberg, in a January debate, referred to the war in Ukraine as a game of “bloody chess. ‘
“We must first stop killing people,” Shlosberg said in the debate. “If we achieve peace, we will regain freedom.”
Shlosberg, of the Yabloko Party, faces up to five years under a law passed after the beginning of the war.
Russia, per the story, has very few opposition politicians remaining, following the death of Alexei Navalny and the exile of several other opponents of Putin.
“Police carried out searches and seized personal electronic devices from the homes of Shlosberg and his wife, his 96-year-old father and the local Yabloko office in the northwestern city of Pskov, according to the party,” The Moscow Times reported about the arrest.
“Authorities accuse Shlosberg, who has remained in Russia despite his opposition to the war, of calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine during a debate with historian Yury Pivovarov in January. A video of that debate was published on the Russian social media website Odnoklassniki.”
Who is Lev Schlosberg?
Schlosberg is 61 years old and a former journalist who segued into human rights activism and politics. He is a regional politician in the city of Pskov.
In 2014, when he was the publisher of a newspaper called Pskovskaia Gubernia, he visited the funeral of two men who had been killed during a secret and illegal deployment to Ukraine. Soon after that, he was attacked in the street by three men.
In 2022, per the Moscow Times, Schlosberg and his wife were both accused of a similar crime, of “discrediting” the Russian military.
“The Russian leadership is trying to hide the fact that it is sending its sons to war, that they are dying and being buried in secret,” he wrote at the time.
Last October, the Moscow Times had reported that Russia had opened a criminal case against Schlosberg for allegedly failing to comply with rules concerning “foreign agents.” He had been designated as a foreign agent in 2023, over his opposition to the war in Ukraine.
“The [police] order mentioned the lack of labeling, but Lev is attentive to the authorities’ requirements and always labels all his publications. He complies with the law,” Zhanna, Schlosberg’s wife, told reporters at the time. “In my personal opinion, this is just another intimidation tactic.”
Schlosberg on Peace Talks with Ukraine
In a social media post in mid-May, Schlosberg had expressed optimism about peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
“Bridges destroyed, roads mined, the only form of dialogue remains combat. Both countries set themselves to the task of complete military victory,” he said in a Facebook post on May 15.
“These tasks are not and cannot be achieved. There will be no military victory – neither Russian nor Ukrainian. I don’t have the energy for this. Understanding this was difficult in both Russia and Ukraine. How to go from military action to diplomatic after more than three years of a military nightmare, when everything is covered in hate and blood, is the main question.
“The presidents are the highest level,” Schlosberg said in the Facebook post. “They can only meet once an agreement has been reached at delegation level on all the main terms of the agreement. The opportunity for such a meeting is not lost, but it can’t be achieved through minefields within a few days. There is no reason to be abject. Just six months ago there was no question of a meeting in Istanbul, let alone talk of one.”
About the Author
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
The Best Tanks on Earth
Pingback: Russia's War in Ukraine Is Now 'Faltering' - National Security Journal