Russian antiwar presidential hopeful Boris Nadezhdin said a “majority” of people in Russia want the conflict with Ukraine to end.
Nadezhdin has criticised Putin, who he has said made a “fatal mistake” by launching the invasion, and has pledged to end it via negotiation.
“[The] official understanding is that all the society is for Putin, for [the] special military operation as we call it, but it’s not so,” he said. “Majority of people in Russia want the conflict in Ukraine to stop.”
Dissenting voices have not been tolerated in Russia and people have been routinely criminalised by strict antidefamation laws that make it illegal to speak negatively about the invasion and the conduct of the military.
Those found guilty of spreading “fake information” about the army could face up to 15 years in prison.
Asked if he was concerned about being penalized under the war censorship laws, Nadezhdin said, “The problem is not if I’m afraid or if I’m not afraid – frankly speaking, I am ready for anything.”
Nadezhdin, a 60-year-old municipal councillor, running on the ticket of the small centre-right Civic Initiative party, has said he collected more than 100,000 signatures across Russia required to register as a candidate for the election to be held on March 15-17.
Putin is almost certain to win re-election to extend his 24-year leadership of Russia, including eight years as prime minister, for at least another six years.
But Nadezhdin is ready for a fight.
He said if the Supreme Court allows him to run then he would have a “very big result and it would be a big problem for our government”.
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