Russian Court Jails Lev Shlosberg for 11 Years Over Anti-War Posts
Russia

MAXIM SHEMETOV/Reuters
What Happened
What Happened
Where Sources Agree
- arrows_inputOpposition Politician Sentenced: Some sources suggest that Lev Shlosberg was sentenced to 11 years and one month in a penal colony after being convicted of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and disseminating false information, according to Pskov City Court records.
- arrows_inputSupreme Court Election Ban: A subset of coverage notes confirms that Russia's Supreme Court barred the Yabloko party from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections on August 10, according to court rulings.
Where Sources Disagree
- arrows_outputPrior Conviction Reporting: Some reports detail a November 2025 conviction where Shlosberg received community service for violating foreign agent regulations. In contrast, other outlets note his designation as a "foreign agent" but omit mention of this specific prior criminal conviction.
- arrows_outputSpecificity of Evidence Cited: Some sources identify the 'bloody chess' quote as the specific trigger for the discrediting charges. In contrast, other sources describe the charges more broadly as stemming from online debates or general criticism of the war, without citing that specific statement.
- arrows_outputForeign Agent Labeling: Reports vary slightly in their description of Lev Shlosberg; some include the 'foreign agent' label, while others refer to him simply as an opposition politician.
Timeline
August 17, 2026
Conviction and lengthy sentence: On August 17, 2026 the Pskov City Court found Lev Shlosberg guilty of ‘discrediting’ the armed forces and spreading ‘false information’ and sentenced him to 11 years and one month in a penal colony; the ruling came as Yabloko’s appeal over its exclusion from the ballot was being heard and prompted international condemnation and an announced appeal.
August 10, 2026
Party barred from ballot: On August 10, 2026 Russia’s Supreme Court struck Yabloko off the September parliamentary ballot, and in the run‑up to the trial prosecutors sought harsher penalties (Prosecutor Anna Goryacheva requested 12 years and 1 month on August 14). Supporters were detained during the party’s appeal hearing.
December 05, 2025
Placed in pre‑trial detention: In December 2025 he was moved into pre‑trial detention and, since December 5, 2025, has been held in Pskov’s SIZO‑1 pending the new wartime censorship charges.
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Timeline
August 17, 2026
Conviction and lengthy sentence: On August 17, 2026 the Pskov City Court found Lev Shlosberg guilty of ‘discrediting’ the armed forces and spreading ‘false information’ and sentenced him to 11 years and one month in a penal colony; the ruling came as Yabloko’s appeal over its exclusion from the ballot was being heard and prompted international condemnation and an announced appeal.
August 10, 2026
Party barred from ballot: On August 10, 2026 Russia’s Supreme Court struck Yabloko off the September parliamentary ballot, and in the run‑up to the trial prosecutors sought harsher penalties (Prosecutor Anna Goryacheva requested 12 years and 1 month on August 14). Supporters were detained during the party’s appeal hearing.
December 05, 2025
Placed in pre‑trial detention: In December 2025 he was moved into pre‑trial detention and, since December 5, 2025, has been held in Pskov’s SIZO‑1 pending the new wartime censorship charges.













