FSB Accuses Exiled Opposition of Plotting Coup, Allegations Seen as Revealing Kremlin Anxiety

Late October 2025 - Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) opened a case against exiled oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky and 22 members of the Russian Anti-War Committee, accusing them of plotting a "violent seizure of power and overthrow of the constitutional order" and forming a "terrorist community". Khodorkovsky, now based in London, denied the charges as "absurd," suggesting they reveal the Kremlin's fear of a power transition, particularly since "there is no obvious successor" should Putin die.

Experts widely interpret this move as a sign of growing vulnerability within the Kremlin. John Herbst, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, stated it shows "the Kremlin is being paranoid. Putin is looking for enemies to try to bolster his regime," while Dr. Stephen Blank noted it follows Putin's pattern of conjuring "Phantom Enemies" to reinforce his grip. The accusations recall the failed 2023 mutiny by Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, which ended with his death and exposed underlying instability.