"Jailed Activist Sparks Protests in Putin's Russia"

Protests in Russia's Bashkortostan region have erupted over the imprisonment of activist Fail Alsynov, who advocated for minority rights and the preservation of the Bashkir language and culture. The discontent is directed at Bashkortostan head Radiy Khabirov, who filed the initial complaint against Alsynov, and is seen as implementing Moscow's policies aimed at destroying Bashkir identity and culture. The protests have exposed deeper layers of discontent within Russia's authoritarian system, exacerbated by the country's invasion of Ukraine and the perception that non-Russian ethnic groups have borne the heaviest burden of the fighting.