Navigating the narrowing space for lawful dissent in Russia
When the Russian government moved to block Telegram this year, activists across the country attempted to organize protests against what many saw as the latest step in the Kremlin’s tightening grip on freedom of expression. Their efforts, and the authorities’ response, reveal how even limited forms of public dissent in Russia are increasingly treated as a threat while the shrinking digital space leaves civil society with fewer and fewer ways to organize.
June 23, 2026 -
Veronica Snoj
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Hot TopicsIssue 4 2026Magazine
“Every kind of protest is inherently dangerous nowadays because of how it is going to be perceived by the authorities,” says Radzhana Buyantueva, a researcher focusing on civil society and social movements. Photo: Tomasz Bidermann / Shutterstock
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