Russian opposition figure killed fighting for Ukraine

Russian opposition activist Ildar Dadin was killed fighting for the Ukrainian army. Dadin achieved widespread notoriety after being convicted of unlawful behavior at rallies. After becoming disillusioned with non-violent protest, he joined the Ukrainian Army in 2023 to fight against Russia.

• Dadin was the first Russian to be convicted under new anti-protest laws that targeted people who had repeated violations of rules on staging rallies. The logic behind the law was that if somebody is sentenced to a minor punishment on three separate occasions for staging mass protests (despite being based on the word “mass”, in reality it includes solo demonstrations) they can be jailed for up to five years for repeated offenses. In 2015, Dadin was sentenced to three years as the first person sent to jail under the new rules. Journalists later dubbed the criminal clause the “Dadin article.” 
• Dadin wrote to his wife in 2016 about torture in the penal colony where he was serving his term, a letter that caused a stir in the prison system. He was transferred to a different facility and a criminal case was opened against the head of the colony. He was ultimately sentenced to two-and-a-half years, although he was released early. 
• In 2017, a few months before Dadin was due to be released, his conviction was overturned. However, the “Dadin article” remains in the Russian criminal code. So far, fewer than 10 people have been convicted due to it.
• After Russia invaded Ukraine, Dadin — who had taken part in street protests after his conviction was quashed — said that he was disillusioned with non-violent protest. In 2023, he joined a battalion of Russian volunteers in the Ukrainian army. Dadin was killed fighting in the Kharkiv Region, close to the Russian border, after he was caught in an artillery bombardment.

Why the world should care:

Ildar Dadin’s life and death shows how the fate of Russian activists and opponents of the Putin regime can unfold in tragic circumstances. Often their choices in opposing the regime are limited to fleeing the country, staying and facing the perpetual risk of new criminal charges, or joining the Ukrainian army to fight in the war. Dadin opted for the third, a fatal choice.