"Russia's Regress: A Dramatic Week of Setbacks"

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the deaths of over 500 children, with the actual toll likely much higher. The war has become normalized to some extent, but the ongoing horrors serve as a reminder that there is nothing normal about it. Meanwhile, opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been sentenced to 19 years in prison on charges of extremism, potentially facing additional charges of terrorism. Another Kremlin foe, Vladimir Kara-Murza, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison on treason charges. Both Navalny and Kara-Murza believe they were poisoned as retribution for their opposition to the Russian state. Anne Applebaum warns that Putin's actions are destroying modern Russia, bringing back elements of dictatorship and stifling dissent.