The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has initiated a criminal case against 23 members of the Anti-War Committee of Russia (AKR), including prominent figures such as former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, economist Sergey Guriev, and journalist Viktor Shenderovich. The charges encompass:
- Attempted violent seizure of power (Article 278 of the Russian Criminal Code)
- Organization or participation in a terrorist community (Article 205.4)
- Public calls for terrorist activities (Article 205.2) — specifically applied to Khodorkovsky
The FSB alleges that the AKR aimed to dismantle the current Russian government and establish an alternative authority. The case references the 2023 Berlin Declaration, which condemned President Vladimir Putin’s regime and the war in Ukraine as criminal, and the creation of a “platform for dialogue” with Russian opposition at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The FSB claims that Khodorkovsky and other AKR members financed Ukrainian nationalist paramilitary units and recruited individuals to join these groups, portraying them as part of a plan to forcibly seize power in Russia.
This development is part of a broader strategy to suppress anti-war and opposition movements within Russia. Analysts warn that such criminal cases set a precedent for potential prosecution of all Russian civil society activists and human rights defenders opposing the war.
For more detailed information, please refer to the original article by Meduza.