Police Briefly Detain Boris Nadezhdin North of Moscow

July 13, 2026 Boris Nadezhdin. @BorisNadezhdin / Telegram Anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin was briefly detained north of Moscow on Monday and charged with displaying “extremist” symbols, just days after Russia’s Justice Ministry designated him a “foreign agent.” In a brief message on his Telegram channel, Nadezhdin wrote that he was being taken to a police station in the town of Dolgoprudny, located around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Russian capital. After his release later that evening, Nadezhdin revealed that police charged him with the administrative offense of displaying “extremist” symbols for sharing a link to a video that contained an image of the late opposition activist Alexei Navalny. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday so that a judge can formally read the charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 days in prison. Nadezhdin is currently trying to run for office in the State Duma elections this September. Dolgoprudny, his hometown, is among the places where his campaign team has been collecting signatures to help him qualify for the ballot. Despite his designation as a “foreign agent” on Friday, a status that legally bars individuals from running for any elected office in Russia, Nadezhdin has vowed to press forward with his signature collection drive. Nadezhdin, who was previously a State Duma lawmaker from 1999 to 2003, saw his political star rise in early 2024 when he tried to run in Russia’s 2024 presidential election on a pro-peace platform. Election authorities ultimately barred him from running on technical grounds. For the State Duma elections this September, Nadezhdin said he plans to campaign on a platform advocating for a “return to normal life,” though he has admitted that authorities could move to disqualify him once again. Read more about: Boris Nadezhdin , Moscow region 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 Steven Seagal Lists Rublyovka Mansion for Sale – RBC NF Group, the real estate firm handling the sale, did not disclose the asking price for the property, which is located in the town of Usovo. 2 Min read Tajikistan Calls for Impartial Investigation Into Moscow Region School Stabbing The Central Asian Country’s foreign ministry summoned Russia’s ambassador after media reports identified the victim as an ethnic Tajik. 2 Min read Ex-Presidential Hopeful Nadezhdin Resigns as Municipal Deputy Boris Nadezhdin said his decision to step down from the Dolgoprudny city council was not made under pressure from external actors. 1 Min read Pro-Peace Presidential Hopeful Nadezhdin Submits Signatures to Register as Candidate The CEC must now approve or reject Nadezhdin's signatures in a test of how far the Kremlin will allow him to take his campaign. 2 Min read