Kathrine Frich
Vladimir Putin’s security services have accused some of Russia’s best-known exiled opposition figures of organising a “terrorist organisation” to overthrow his regime.
Vladimir Putin’s security services have accused some of Russia’s best-known exiled opposition figures of organising a “terrorist organisation” to overthrow his regime.
FSB launches case against Russian exiles
Russia’s Federal Security Service has opened a criminal investigation into 22 members of the Russian Antiwar Committee, a group of opposition figures living outside the country.
The FSB claims they are conspiring to stage a violent coup, a charge widely dismissed by independent observers as politically motivated.
The Antiwar Committee under fire
The Antiwar Committee was formed by prominent Russians who fled after the invasion of Ukraine.
It includes politicians, journalists, artists, and businesspeople united by their opposition to the war.
The Kremlin now accuses them of recruiting Ukrainian paramilitary units and funding “terrorist” activities allegations the group denies.
Khodorkovsky at the centre of the storm
Among those targeted is Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia’s richest man and a former oil magnate turned dissident.
After serving ten years in a Siberian prison on charges seen as politically driven, he was pardoned in 2013 and left Russia.
Now living in London, he remains one of Putin’s most outspoken critics.
Other leading figures named
The investigation also targets several high-profile figures: veteran opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, and ex–prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov.
All have long criticised Putin’s rule and supported sanctions against Russia’s war machine.
“Khodorkovsky and his accomplices”
In its official statement, the FSB referred to the group as “Khodorkovsky and his accomplices,” suggesting he is the ringleader of a conspiracy.
The agency claims the Antiwar Committee’s activities go beyond politics and pose a direct threat to national security, a familiar accusation used against Kremlin critics.
Khodorkovsky: “Absolutely false”
Khodorkovsky has strongly denied all accusations, describing them as “absolutely false.”
He says the committee’s work is peaceful and humanitarian, focused on supporting Russians who oppose the war and helping Ukrainian civilians affected by it.
He called the FSB case “a black mark” designed to silence dissent.
Putin’s paranoia grows
Analysts say the investigation exposes Putin’s growing paranoia and fear of losing control.
Facing battlefield setbacks and economic pressure, the Kremlin increasingly blames exiles for domestic unrest.
The idea of a coordinated “foreign-led revolution” fits neatly into the regime’s narrative of Russia under siege.
“Alternative legitimacy” worries the Kremlin
Khodorkovsky told Reuters that Putin sees the unity of his opponents abroad as a genuine danger.
“This alternative point of legitimacy represents the greatest danger for him and his regime,” he said.
He argued that building relationships between exiled opposition groups and Western institutions is “precisely the right approach.”
Russia’s strategy of intimidation
The move to label exiles as terrorists mirrors tactics used against domestic activists, journalists, and NGOs.
Since the start of the war, Russia has branded hundreds of individuals and organisations as “foreign agents.”
The latest accusations signal that the Kremlin now seeks to extend this campaign beyond its borders.
The opposition vows to continue
Despite the risks, members of the Antiwar Committee say they will not be silenced.
For many exiles, the FSB’s actions confirm they are having an impact.
“Without a doubt, such a decision increases the level of risk,” Khodorkovsky admitted, “but it also shows that we are seen as a real alternative to Putin’s regime.”
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
