Russian politician Boris Nadezhdin, who opposed the war in Ukraine and sought to run in the 2024 presidential election, said on August 3 that he had left Russia and was in Paris.
Nadezhdin posted a video from France and said he needed time to assess the situation and decide on his next steps.
On July 10, Russia’s Justice Ministry added the politician to its registry of “foreign agents.” Nadezhdin had also faced administrative prosecution and was barred from taking part in the upcoming State Duma elections.
He became widely known during the 2024 presidential campaign after announcing plans to run on an anti-war platform.
Tens of thousands of signatures were collected in support of his candidacy, but Russia’s Central Election Commission refused to register him, saying the number of signatures it deemed invalid exceeded the permitted threshold.
Nadezhdin did not announce on August 3 that he was emigrating permanently or leaving Russia for good. It is therefore more accurate to describe the event as his departure from the country.