Alexei Navalny claimed that he has been charged in a new criminal case and faces an additional 15 years in prison.

Also read: Amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, representatives hold war crimes meeting at Hague

On Tuesday, the Kremlin critic announced on social media that he was charged with forming an extremist organisation and inciting hatred toward the authorities.

This is on top of a nine-year sentence he received in March for fraud and contempt of court, which was added to a two-and-a-half-year sentence he was already serving.

Also read: Moscow should invade United Kingdom and take Stonehenge: Russian TV presenter

“Not even eight days have passed since my nine-year high-security sentence came into force, and today the investigator showed up again and formally charged me with a new case,” Navalny had tweeted.

“It turns out that I created an extremist group in order to incite hatred towards officials and oligarchs. And when they put me in jail, I dared to be disgruntled about it and called for rallies. For that, they’re supposed to add up to 15 more years to my sentence,” he added.

Also read: As Russia closes in on 100 days in Ukraine, Putin loses another close ally

The fresh allegations were not immediately confirmed.

According to numerous European medical institutions, Navalny was poisoned with a nerve toxin during a campaigning tour in Siberia in 2020.

When he returned to Russia in early 2021, he was detained for parole violations after months of medical treatment in Germany.

Also read: Georgia’s South Ossetia region puts referendum to join Russia on hold

Following the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has stepped up its decades-long campaign to discredit and silence Russia’s domestic opponents. Navalny has spoken out against the war, accusing Putin of being “stupid” and “built on lies” at a court hearing.