Grigori Yavlinsky, a well-known liberal Russian opposition politician and economist, is one of the prominent critics of the Kremlin in Russia.
He regularly warns about the effects of the policy of his ruling adversary, Vladimir Putin.
Yavlinsky, the former chairman and multiple presidential candidate of the Yabloko party, has repeatedly condemned the Ukraine war, as reported by the Münchner Merkur.
In a surprising turn of events, he spoke in an interview with the Russian state broadcaster RBK. According to the renowned think tank "Institute for the Study of War (ISW)," he emphasized in the TV conversation that it is in Russia's interest to sign a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine as quickly as possible.
Furthermore, he expressed concerns about the accuracy of Russian polls that suggest apparent approval among the population.
He believes these might be part of the official propaganda of the Putin regime. Looking ahead to the upcoming Russian presidential election in 2024, the 73-year-old announced his intention to collect the necessary signatures for his participation. In 2012, Yavlinsky was denied candidacy by the Russian electoral commission, allegedly due to fake signatures, which were said to constitute about a quarter of the total two million expressions of support
