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Yashin, 39, was tried over a YouTube video released in April in
which he discussed evidence uncovered by Western journalists of
Russian atrocities in Bucha, near Kyiv, and cast doubt on the
official Moscow version that such reports had been fabricated as
a "provocation" against Russia.
Since invading Ukraine on Feb. 24, Moscow has intensified its
clampdown on public dissent, with most prominent opposition
figures either in jail or exile.
Days after the invasion, legislation was passed providing for
jail terms of up to 15 years for disseminating "false
information" about the military.
In a defiant post on his Telegram channel, Yashin urged his
supporters to continue opposing the war in Ukraine.
"With this hysterical verdict, the authorities want to
intimidate us all but, in fact, it only shows their weakness.
Strong leaders are calm and confident. Only weaklings try to
shut everybody up and scorch any kind of dissent," he wrote.
"We have no reason to be sad - you and I have won this trial,
friends ...
"We told the truth about war crimes and called for the bloodshed
to stop ... Today, I can only repeat what I said on the day of
my arrest: I am not afraid, and you must not be afraid. Changes
are just around the corner."
Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny slammed the verdict as
"shameless and lawless" in a post on his Twitter account, which
is managed by his team in exile.
"Ilya Yashin, we are all proud of you. Russia will be free and
so will you," Navalny wrote.
Yashin, a longtime friend and ally of Navalny, rose to
prominence during a wave of anti-Kremlin protests in 2011-12 and
was elected head of a Moscow district council in 2017. He has
been repeatedly blocked from standing for higher office.
As supporters chanted "Freedom for political prisoners!" outside
the courtoom, Yashin's lawyers told them he would appeal.
In his final statement to the court this week, Yashin had
appealed directly to President Vladimir Putin, describing him as
"the person responsible for this slaughter" and asking him to
"look at the consequences of this monstrous war" and "stop this
madness".
"The words 'death' and 'destruction' are now firmly associated
with your name," he said.
"You have brought terrible misfortune to the Ukrainian people,
who will probably never forgive us."
(Writing by Mark Trevelyan and Jake Cordell; Editing by Kevin
Liffey)
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