Russian officials have stepped up efforts to silence opposition to the war through the arrest of a prominent blogger and steps to block a regional politician from seeking a parliamentary seat.

Blogger Ilya Remeslo switched from backing Vladimir Putin to denouncing him last March as a war criminal and thief who ought to step down.

He is now held in custody for two months over claims he spread false information about the armed forces.

In a separate case Boris Nadezhdin received a conviction for showing extremist symbols which prevents him from gathering signatures ahead of September parliamentary elections.

Nadezhdin aged 63 gained attention two years earlier when he sought the presidency on an anti-war ticket but was disqualified after officials deemed his submitted signatures invalid.

With most genuine opposition voices gone from Russia the former MP has positioned himself as a pro-peace advocate.

Many others have fled abroad while the best known figure Alexei Navalny died suddenly in an Arctic penal colony in February 2024. Officials attributed the death to natural causes though several Western governments stated they believe he was poisoned with a lethal toxin.

Nadezhdin was labeled a foreign agent last week then detained on Monday for reposting a 2023 video that briefly featured Navalny. He is also prohibited from leaving the country.

The foreign agent designation would likely have stopped his candidacy but the recent conviction for extremist symbols closed a prior loophole that might have allowed signature collection.

He retains the right to appeal the decision which imposed a fine of 1000 roubles about 9.50 pounds or 13 dollars.

Nadezhdin who has high blood pressure and diabetes briefly collapsed during his court appearance in his hometown of Dolgoprudny north of Moscow.

He rejected the accusations saying the goal was to silence him and prevent a Duma candidacy. He added that frozen accounts left him unable to pay any fine.

Later on Friday blogger Remeslo appeared in court and was ordered into two months of pre-trial detention. His lawyer noted he had been moved to Moscow after arrest earlier that day in St Petersburg.

Remeslo faces accusations of spreading false military news tied to his March 2024 blog post titled Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin.

The Telegram post surprised many in Russia since Remeslo had earlier supported Putin on the war and criticized the opposition including Navalny.

He cited harm to the economy and curbs on internet and media freedoms then spent a month in a psychiatric hospital which he later said was involuntary.

On Thursday just before his arrest Remeslo wrote on Telegram that the situation is worsening quickly for Putin pointing to an energy crisis and growing elite conflicts.

Ukraine has struck oil facilities across Russia causing fuel shortages in several areas including Moscow.

Two recent polls indicate Putin's approval has slipped this month.

The Public Opinion Foundation reported a drop to 66 percent down five points in the week ending 12 July.

State pollster VTsIOM recorded a smaller decline placing the rating at 65.1 percent the lowest since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Remeslo asserted that events are heading toward a point where even a minor trigger could remove Putin from power.