Russian opposition politician Maxim Kruglov has been charged with spreading false information about the country’s armed forces after publicly calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine, state investigators announced on Thursday.
Kruglov, deputy leader of the liberal Yabloko party, was arrested on Wednesday and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
According to his lawyer, Natalya Tikhonova, the charges stem from two Telegram posts made in 2022.
Investigators allege the posts contained deliberately false information about Russian military operations against civilians in Ukraine. His home was also searched during the investigation.
Kruglov has denied any wrongdoing. Yabloko, one of the few Russian parties that openly opposes the war, condemned the charges and reiterated its calls for peace.
The party, which holds only a small number of regional seats and none in the national parliament, was among the first to criticize President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The case against Kruglov is the latest in a series of legal actions against Yabloko figures.
Senior party member Lev Shlosberg was placed under house arrest in June on charges of discrediting the military, while another member, Boris Vishnevsky, is facing efforts by prosecutors to label his book extremist. Both have been declared ‘foreign agents’ by Russian authorities.
Yabloko’s leader, Nikolai Rybakov, said Kruglov had consistently called for a negotiated ceasefire in Ukraine. He warned that Russia’s wartime censorship laws, which criminalize criticism of the army, are being used to silence anyone advocating for peace.
“The laws used against Kruglov and Shlosberg can be applied to anyone who calls for an end to the war,” Rybakov said.
“We continue to believe that all repressive laws should be repealed.” The Kremlin has said it remains open to peace talks but insists on conditions Kyiv has rejected as surrender.