Ex-Kremlin Loyalist Declared Mentally Fit to Stand Trial for Putin Criticism

Aug. 27, 2026 Ilya Remeslo in court. @moscowcourts / Telegram A Moscow psychiatric facility has declared former Kremlin loyalist and blogger Ilya Remeslo mentally competent to stand trial on charges of spreading false information about the military, his attorney said Thursday. “Remeslo is sane. He did not and does not suffer from any mental illness,” attorney Sergei Badamshin wrote in a post on Telegram, citing an evaluation from the Serbsky State Scientific Center for Social and Forensic Psychiatry. Serbsky’s conclusion comes about a month after Remeslo was transferred there from a pre-trial detention facility in Moscow. He previously spent a month at a St. Petersburg psychiatric hospital this spring after publicly denouncing President Vladimir Putin for mishandling the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Remeslo later called his hospitalization involuntary and a form of retaliation by the authorities for his critical remarks. On Wednesday, a judge at the Moscow City Court rejected Remeslo’s appeal against his criminal charges and upheld his pre-trial detention until Sept. 16. “Russia will be free,” Remeslo said after the ruling, according to the exiled news outlet Mediazona. That phrase was often used by the late opposition activist Alexei Navalny, whom Remeslo had actively campaigned against, including by filing police complaints. Remeslo faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of spreading false information about the Russian military. Read more about: Court cases , Blogger Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Pro-War Blogger ‘Thirteenth’ Arrested for Inciting Hatred, Telegram Channel Claims Yegor Guzenko’s Telegram channel, which has nearly 230,000 subscribers, said he may also be facing “extremism” charges. 2 Min read YouTuber Yury Dud Jailed Nearly 2 Years in Absentia for Breaking ‘Foreign Agent’ Law A court found Dud guilty of repeatedly failing to comply with the legal obligations imposed on individuals registered as “foreign agents.” 1 Min read Samara Court Sentences Exiled Cult Leader Svetlana Lada-Rus to 8 Years in Prison A music teacher by training, Lada-Rus first gained attention in the 1990s after opening an occult healing center in Samara. 2 Min read Russian Military Blogger Jailed for Criticizing Armed Forces The former soldier accused Russia of cutting off water access to civilians near the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih and of bombing a maternity hospital. 1 Min read