Since Boris Nemtsov’s assassination in 2015, Russia has transformed from tolerating dissent to brutally suppressing it. Alexei Navalny’s death in 2024 marked a turning point, with riot police cracking down on mourners. President Putin’s regime now targets not only political opponents but also rights groups, media, LGBTQ+ activists, and religious affiliations. Oleg Orlov of Memorial, once a critic, became a political prisoner himself. Russia, labeled by some as totalitarian, has over 1,000 political prisoners and employs fear to silence dissent amid international tensions, especially after the invasion of Ukraine.