One of Vladimir Putin’s biggest critics has been jailed in Russia for 25 years after being found guilty of treason.

Vladimir Kara-Murza, 41, a father of three and former journalist who holds Russian and British passports, spent years as a politician opposing the Russian president.

He was accused of treason and of discrediting the military by prosecutors after he criticised the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

However, Mr Kara-Murza, who denied the charges, has criticised his prosecution.

Ukraine war latest – Kremlin critic jailed

The opposition leader, who claims to have twice been poisoned by Russian operatives, has previously compared his trial to one of Josef Stalin’s show trials in the 1930s.

His 25-year sentence is the harshest of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Mr Kara-Murza was an ally of the late Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead near the Kremlin in 2015.

Related posts:

Britons scramble to leave Portugal as UK flights doubled on last day before new quarantine rules come into force Gunmen kidnap dozens of children from school in northern Nigeria Six students and teacher among nine arrested over alleged Hong Kong terror plot UK urged to boycott Beijing Olympics over Uighur Muslim ‘persecution’ UN ‘saddened and disturbed’ by death of 84-year-old Indian activist in custody ‘Walrus from Space’ climate change project urges public to help search for animals in satellite images Britain’s most notorious conman Mark Acklom extradited to Spain days after early prison release Two children among 18 killed as Russian missiles hit flats before dawn ‘My home is a graveyard now’: The aftermath of Afghanistan’s deadly earthquake In city where COVID began, there is creeping sense more suffering is coming CCTV shows chilling moment Russian FSB agents and soldiers scour Ukrainian orphanage for children Hundreds evacuated as Spain’s wildfire season starts ‘very early’