Exiled Navalny Associate Volkov Sentenced to 18 Years in Absentia by Russian Military Court

A Russian military court has sentenced Leonid Volkov, a prominent aide to the late opposition figure Alexei Navalny, to 18 years in prison in absentia. The charges against him include extremism and wartime censorship, as reported by Russian news agencies on Wednesday.

Volkov has been residing in Lithuania since 2019 and was placed on a wanted list in 2021 after nationwide protests demanded Navalny’s release from incarceration. That same year, Russian authorities labeled Navalny’s political and activist organizations as “extremist,” putting staff and supporters at risk of criminal prosecution.

According to Interfax, the Second Western District Military Court in Moscow found Volkov guilty on over 40 counts spanning nine different criminal offenses.

The charges comprised the organization and financing of an “extremist” group, justifying terrorism, “rehabilitating Nazism,” disseminating “false information” about the Russian military, endangering minors, and establishing an NGO accused of infringing on citizens’ rights. Additionally, he faced convictions for fraud and vandalism.

The court has levied an additional fine of 2 million rubles (approximately $25,300) and has prohibited Volkov from accessing the internet for a period of 10 years. This sentence, which may be appealed, will only come into effect if Volkov is extradited to Russia.

Volkov responded to the ruling with sarcasm on social media, posting, “Well, what to do now?”

The proceedings were conducted behind closed doors. Previous reports indicated that Russian authorities expressed concerns about the possibility of Volkov’s supporters executing “extremist or terrorist attacks” against those associated with the case.

A former member of the Yekaterinburg City Duma, Volkov led Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) from 2021 until 2023. He was added to Russia’s list of “terrorists and extremists” in 2022 and subsequently designated as a “foreign agent.”