Asger Risom
Opposition figure who challenged Putin faces financial ruin over unpaid debt
A Russian court has declared Boris Nadezhdin, a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin and a former presidential hopeful, officially bankrupt following a years-old dispute over an unpaid loan. The decision comes less than a year after Nadezhdin was barred from running in the 2024 presidential election.
According to Digi24, the Moscow Arbitration Court ruled on Thursday that Nadezhdin owes approximately 77.4 million rubles (around $918,700) to Rosenergobank, a financial institution that went bankrupt in 2017. The bankruptcy proceedings were initiated in May 2024.
Failed Candidacy, Mounting Pressure
Nadezhdin, 61, served in Russia’s parliament from 1999 to 2003 and had sought to challenge Putin on an anti-war platform during the March 2024 presidential election. His candidacy was ultimately rejected by the Central Election Commission, which cited irregularities in the signatures collected to support his nomination — including names of deceased individuals.
Although Nadezhdin admitted his chances of defeating Putin were “zero,” his campaign attracted attention from voters disillusioned with the war in Ukraine and eager for alternatives in Russia’s tightly controlled political landscape. Putin went on to win a fifth term with a record 87.3% of the vote.
Financial Fallout and Asset Seizure
State news agency TASS reported that Nadezhdin took out a $324,350 loan from Rosenergobank in 2015, securing it with two plots of land. The court has now approved the sale of those properties to repay the debt.
Nadezhdin remained a municipal councilor in Moscow until June 2024 but resigned shortly after the bankruptcy proceedings were filed. His financial collapse adds to the challenges faced by Kremlin critics, many of whom have been sidelined or prosecuted in recent years.
Observers note the timing of the case — just months after his disqualified campaign — raises questions about whether financial pressure is being used to silence dissent in Russia’s shrinking political space.