Kremlin critic charged over criticizing fighting in Ukraine

By The Associated Press

Russian prosecutors have brought criminal charges against another opposition figure who has criticized Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. Ilya Yashin was due to be released after spending 15 days in jail on charges of failing to obey police. His lawyer said that Yashin was charged instead under a new law making it a crime to spread false information about the military. It carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. The lawyer said prosecutors were searching Yashin’s Moscow home on Tuesday evening. Russia has cracked down on those who criticism what it calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine. Well-known opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Muza was arrested in April and charged under the same law.