The Kremlin critic's departure comes amid a crackdown on dissent before parliamentary elections later this year

Russian opposition figure Boris Nadezhdin has left Russia and taken refuge in France, according to reports. His departure comes after he was designated a "foreign agent" by the Kremlin, a label that carries significant legal restrictions and stigma.

Nadezhdin, a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin, has settled in Paris. The move is seen as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Russia ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for later this year. According to sources, the intensifying repression has pushed many opposition figures to flee the country.

The designation as a "foreign agent" is part of a law that requires individuals and organizations receiving foreign funding to register and label their activities, which critics say is used to silence government opponents.

Cross-referenced from 3 sources.