Vladimir Putin's rival sentenced to 11 years in prison: "Wait until the death toll is revealed"
The Russian government continues to suppress opposition to the war in Ukraine, sentencing Lev Shlosberg, deputy chairman of the liberal Yabloko party, to 11 years in a penal colony. In his closing statement, Shlosberg warned that the true scale of the tragedy is being hidden: "Eventually, the full death toll will be published, and the entire nation will be shocked." Estimates suggest over 350,000 Russian soldiers have been killed.
A court in Russia sentenced Lev Shlosberg, deputy chairman of the liberal Yabloko party, to 11 years and one month in a penal colony on Monday. The 63-year-old was prosecuted for "discrediting" the Russian armed forces and spreading false information after he condemned the war in Ukraine, describing it as a catastrophe for Russia.
In his closing statement at the Pskov court last Friday, Shlosberg maintained his innocence, calling the trial politically motivated, and reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in the war, which has now lasted four and a half years. The conviction follows a decision by the Supreme Court of Russia to ban the Yabloko party from participating in next month's parliamentary elections.
"The lives of countless thousands of people have been cut short during this time," Shlosberg said, according to a transcript published by Mediazona. "Sooner or later, the exact and full death toll will be made public, including their names, and the entire nation will be shocked by this list of martyrs. Today, the cemeteries in our country, including the military ones, are growing at a much faster rate than maternity wards, kindergartens, and schools."
Mediazona and the BBC Russian Service have documented the names of at least 239,354 Russian soldiers killed in the war based on publicly available records. Factoring in estate records to calculate excess mortality, they estimate the true death toll exceeds 350,000. Both Russia and Ukraine have refrained from publishing updated casualty figures.
Shlosberg's trial is part of a broader crackdown on war opponents in Russia. Despite the severe laws enacted since February 2022, figures such as Oleg Orlov and the late Alexei Navalny have used their court appearances to speak out against the government. While state media ignores these testimonies, they remain accessible online via VPNs.
Mediazona reported that the judge repeatedly interrupted Shlosberg, urging him to stick to the facts of the case, but the defendant insisted on his right to speak. "A single person is imprisoned, but fear is seeping into the hearts of millions," he said. The Yabloko party condemned the "cruel sentence," stating it was handed down because of Shlosberg's "love for the motherland and calls for a ceasefire."
