Kremlin factions battle to sway Putin as financial system sinks and discontent rises

When Ilya Remeslo, a longtime Kremlin assault lawyer and propagandist, first turned in opposition to Vladimir Putin in March, posting publicly that the Russian president ought to resign and be dropped at justice as “a warfare felony and a thief,” the Russian authorities quickly carted Remeslo off — in opposition to his will — to a St. Petersburg psychiatric hospital.