Russia Jails Five for "Plotting Soviet Return"

A Russian court has sentenced five men to prison terms of 16 to 22 years. They were convicted of creating an extremist group with the alleged goal of overthrowing the government and re-establishing the Soviet Union. The defendants, who described themselves as Marxists, were found guilty by a military court in the city of Samara. The charges included planning violent acts and terrorism. State prosecutors argued the group planned to seize power. The men denied the accusations, calling the trial a "silent execution." This case is part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Russia. Authorities have increasingly used anti-extremism laws against groups seen as opposing the state.