Russian opposition politician Maxim Kruglov, deputy leader of the liberal Yabloko party (one of Russia's oldest pro-democracy political parties), has been sentenced to seven years in prison for two Telegram posts he made in 2022 criticising the war in Ukraine. Kruglov denied the charges, calling the case an outright ban on dissent. The sentencing underscores the Kremlin's continued crackdown on public opposition to the war, with critics facing lengthy prison terms for even minimal online expression.