Kathrine Frich
Vladimir Putin has dominated Russian politics for more than two decades.
He has build a system where power is tightly concentrated and opposition voices have been pushed to the margins.
Critics both inside and outside the country have long described his rule as authoritarian, pointing to jailed opponents, strict media control and limited political competition.
Even so, efforts to challenge the Kremlin continue.
A new project
Exiled Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin has announced plans to create a new political party aimed at uniting Russians who oppose the Kremlin.
According to the Kyiv Independent, the initiative remains in its early stages, with no clear structure, team or detailed political programme yet in place.
Yashin said the goal is to offer an alternative political vision, even if the movement must operate outside Russia.
A bold message
In a YouTube address, Yashin said the project would signal that organised opposition still exists.
“We are raising the banner and openly declaring that there is a political and organized coalition of people whose goal is to come to power in Russia,” he said.
He argued that the war in Ukraine had broken Russia’s ties with Europe, creating what he described as a political vacuum.
Fragmented opposition
The announcement comes as Russia’s opposition remains deeply divided.
Groups linked to the late Alexei Navalny, independent activists and other figures have struggled to cooperate, often competing instead of forming a united front.
According to the Kyiv Independent, Yashin’s project has so far received little visible backing from other prominent opposition figures.
No clear path
Inside Russia, opportunities for opposition politics remain extremely limited.
Independent candidates face legal barriers, exclusion from elections and the risk of imprisonment or exile.
Yashin himself was jailed in 2022 after condemning the war in Ukraine and was released in 2024 as part of a prisoner exchange.
Looking ahead
Despite these obstacles, Yashin suggested that political change in Russia is still possible over time.
He pointed to historical examples of movements formed in exile that later gained influence after major political shifts.
The party’s founding convention is expected to take place in the summer of 2026.
Sources: Kyiv Independent
