Putin Urges Stronger Efforts to Combat Destabilization.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on prosecutors to increase pressure on "attempts to destabilize" Russia's domestic situation amid the Ukraine offensive. Putin has asked prosecutors to be more active in countering extremism, which Moscow has used to target opposition figures and civil society organizations. The organization of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was labeled "extremist" in 2021, enabling the detention of several of his supporters and others to be sent into exile abroad. Since the beginning of the Ukraine offensive, Russia has passed new legislation against critics, including a law penalizing what authorities deem "fake news" about the army.