<p>Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Tuesday lost his legal appeal against a nine-year prison sentence that he and his allies condemn as politically motivated.</p>.<p>His sentencing came as Moscow pushes on with its military offensive in neighbouring Ukraine and Russian authorities sought to silence remaining government critics.</p>.<p>A Moscow court ruled to "leave the sentence without changes" and for it to enter into force immediately, meaning that the leader of Russia's embattled opposition will be transferred to a strict-regime penal colony with harsh conditions, including few family visits.</p>.<p>President Vladimir Putin's top foe appeared at the hearing at Moscow City Court via video link from behind bars at his prison colony outside Moscow, wearing a black prisoner uniform and a fur-collared winter jacket.</p>.<p>He dismissed his trial as "meaningless", saying: "I despise your court, your system."</p>.<p>"It's you, your system and Putin who are traitors against the Russian people", said Navalny, 45.</p>.<p>"I am ready to sit in jail to prove that not everyone in Russia is like this".</p>.<p>Navalny used his speech to condemn the Kremlin and its military campaign in Ukraine.</p>.<p>"What Putin is doing is pointless," he said.</p>.<p>"One crazy thief has seized hold of Ukraine and no one understands what he wants to do with it".</p>.<p>The opposition politician appeared composed during the hearing, even joking about problems with the sound system.</p>.<p>"Your time will pass and you will burn in hell," he concluded his speech.</p>.<p>In late March, he had his jail time extended to nine years after he was found guilty of embezzling donations to his political organisations and contempt of court.</p>.<p>He was already serving two-and-a-half years in a prison around 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Moscow for violating parole on old fraud charges.</p>.<p>The new sentence will replace the one he was handed in February 2021, meaning Navalny will remain behind bars for another eight years.</p>.<p>The hearings started last week but Navalny was granted a week's postponement so he could have a family visit.</p>.<p>His lawyer Olga Mikhailova told the court the sentence should be annulled as it is "unjust" and "contradicts international law", while the prosecutor called it "legal and justified".</p>.<p>Navalny alleged his legal team "caught judge (Margarita) Kotova right in the middle of the trial calling someone from the presidential administration".</p>.<p>Navalny rose to prominence as an anti-corruption blogger and, before his imprisonment, mobilised anti-government protests across Russia.</p>.<p>In 2020, he narrowly survived a poisoning attack with Novichok, a Soviet-designed military-grade nerve agent. Despite accusations from Navalny, the Kremlin denied any involvement.</p>.<p>He was arrested last year on his return from treatment in Germany, sparking widespread condemnation abroad and sanctions from Western capitals.</p>.<p>In 2018, he campaigned as a presidential candidate but was barred from running in the election that saw Putin secure a fourth term in power.</p>.<p>Navalny's political organisations across the country have been declared "extremist" and shut down.</p>.<p>His key allies have fled Russia and several are wanted by Russian authorities on criminal charges.</p>.<p>Navalny's team continues publishing investigations into the wealth of Russia's elites that have garnered millions of views on YouTube.</p>
<p>Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Tuesday lost his legal appeal against a nine-year prison sentence that he and his allies condemn as politically motivated.</p>.<p>His sentencing came as Moscow pushes on with its military offensive in neighbouring Ukraine and Russian authorities sought to silence remaining government critics.</p>.<p>A Moscow court ruled to "leave the sentence without changes" and for it to enter into force immediately, meaning that the leader of Russia's embattled opposition will be transferred to a strict-regime penal colony with harsh conditions, including few family visits.</p>.<p>President Vladimir Putin's top foe appeared at the hearing at Moscow City Court via video link from behind bars at his prison colony outside Moscow, wearing a black prisoner uniform and a fur-collared winter jacket.</p>.<p>He dismissed his trial as "meaningless", saying: "I despise your court, your system."</p>.<p>"It's you, your system and Putin who are traitors against the Russian people", said Navalny, 45.</p>.<p>"I am ready to sit in jail to prove that not everyone in Russia is like this".</p>.<p>Navalny used his speech to condemn the Kremlin and its military campaign in Ukraine.</p>.<p>"What Putin is doing is pointless," he said.</p>.<p>"One crazy thief has seized hold of Ukraine and no one understands what he wants to do with it".</p>.<p>The opposition politician appeared composed during the hearing, even joking about problems with the sound system.</p>.<p>"Your time will pass and you will burn in hell," he concluded his speech.</p>.<p>In late March, he had his jail time extended to nine years after he was found guilty of embezzling donations to his political organisations and contempt of court.</p>.<p>He was already serving two-and-a-half years in a prison around 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Moscow for violating parole on old fraud charges.</p>.<p>The new sentence will replace the one he was handed in February 2021, meaning Navalny will remain behind bars for another eight years.</p>.<p>The hearings started last week but Navalny was granted a week's postponement so he could have a family visit.</p>.<p>His lawyer Olga Mikhailova told the court the sentence should be annulled as it is "unjust" and "contradicts international law", while the prosecutor called it "legal and justified".</p>.<p>Navalny alleged his legal team "caught judge (Margarita) Kotova right in the middle of the trial calling someone from the presidential administration".</p>.<p>Navalny rose to prominence as an anti-corruption blogger and, before his imprisonment, mobilised anti-government protests across Russia.</p>.<p>In 2020, he narrowly survived a poisoning attack with Novichok, a Soviet-designed military-grade nerve agent. Despite accusations from Navalny, the Kremlin denied any involvement.</p>.<p>He was arrested last year on his return from treatment in Germany, sparking widespread condemnation abroad and sanctions from Western capitals.</p>.<p>In 2018, he campaigned as a presidential candidate but was barred from running in the election that saw Putin secure a fourth term in power.</p>.<p>Navalny's political organisations across the country have been declared "extremist" and shut down.</p>.<p>His key allies have fled Russia and several are wanted by Russian authorities on criminal charges.</p>.<p>Navalny's team continues publishing investigations into the wealth of Russia's elites that have garnered millions of views on YouTube.</p>