Politician Boris Nadezhdin said he was detained by police on July 13. He wrote on his Telegram channel that officers were taking him to a police station in Dolgoprudny.
“The police came. They are taking me to the Dolgoprudny station,” Nadezhdin wrote.
At the time of publication, the authorities had not officially explained the reasons for the detention. It remained unclear whether it was connected to his political activity or to other circumstances.
On July 10, 2026, Russia’s Justice Ministry added Nadezhdin to the register of “foreign agents.” The ministry claimed that he had distributed materials from other “foreign agents” and “undesirable” organizations, spread what it described as false information about decisions by the Russian authorities, and called on people to take part in unsanctioned rallies and pickets.
Nadezhdin had previously said that the designation would not alter his plans. He said he intended to continue his political work, seek nomination to the State Duma, and keep collecting signatures in support of his campaign.
“I will live and keep fighting. It is unlikely to change anything in my political biography. I will continue to run for the State Duma and collect signatures,” he said.
In 2024, Nadezhdin ran in Russia’s presidential campaign and was the only candidate with an anti-war position. His bid was backed by a broad public campaign, and lines formed at signature collection points. However, the Central Election Commission barred him from the election, citing a high share of invalid signatures.
In mid-June 2026, Nadezhdin filed documents with the Central Election Commission to run for the State Duma as an independent candidate and then began gathering signatures. Since May 2024, Russian law has barred people designated as “foreign agents” from taking part in elections.