Bangladesh, Oct. 15 -- Russias internal security agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB), has launched a sweeping criminal investigation against prominent exiled opposition figures-including former oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky and several well-known Kremlin critics-accusing them of attempting to seize power by force and form a terrorist organization. The move marks one of Moscows most aggressive attempts yet to criminalize political dissent abroad and signals deepening tensions with Europe over engagement with Russian opposition movements.

The FSBs announcement on October 14 alleged that Khodorkovsky and members of the Anti-War Committee of Russia, an organization formed in February 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, were plo...