Russian activist Ildar Dadin killed in Ukraine conflict

Ildar Dadin, a well-known Russian opposition activist who in recent years supported Ukrainian forces, has died at the front. According to information from the independent portal "Novaya Gazeta.Europe," the Russian was killed due to artillery shelling in the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine.

As reported by "Novaya Gazeta.Europe," Ildar Dadin decided to leave Russia in 2022, following the full-scale invasion of Russian forces into Ukraine. The opposition activist settled in Warsaw, where he later decided to join the ranks of the Ukrainian army.

During the fighting, Dadin adopted the military nickname "Gandhi." According to the portal's reports, he was an active participant in military operations until the tragic moment when he lost his life due to Russian artillery actions.

The news of 42-year-old Dadin's death was first reported by former Echo of Moscow radio journalist, Ksenia Larina. On one of the social media platforms, she wrote: "I just found out that Ildar Dadin has died. During the fighting in the Kharkiv region." The news was also confirmed to The Insider portal by the Freedom of Russia Legion, in which the opposition activist fought.

Ildar Dadin made history as the first person in the Russian Federation to be sentenced to prison for repeatedly violating assembly laws. In 2015, he was tried and sentenced to three years in a penal colony, though the sentence was later reduced to two and a half years. Even while serving his sentence, Dadin announced that he was a victim of torture in a penal colony in Karelia, which resonated widely in the Russian media. He was ultimately released in 2017 by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation.

Dadin's death is another tragic example of a figure opposing the regime in Moscow and deciding to fight against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as highlighted by media outlets connected to his opposition activities, including the independent portal "Novaya Gazeta.Europe."