Russian opposition figure Yashin goes on trial

MOSCOW (AP) — A court in Moscow has opened the trial of a prominent Russian opposition figure who faces charges stemming from his criticism of the Kremlin’s action in Ukraine. Ilya Yashin, one of the few Kremlin critics to have remained in the country amid an intensifying crackdown on dissent, has been in custody since his arrest in July. He was charged with spreading false information about the military — a new offense added to the country’s criminal law after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Speaking in court on Tuesday, Yashin argued that his case has been fabricated and “has all the markings of illegal political persecution.”