[yakireev]

> I don't understand why he went back to Russia --- on principle, maybe?

He was a Russian politician and was intending to stay one. In the eyes of Russian public opinion, a politician who fled abroad - opposition or not - is not a politician anymore, but some foreign guy living in comforts of some Germany or England, either on money stolen from Russians or on the payroll of CIA, not worth listening to. Interests of polit-emigrants and interests of Russians in Russia do not align, and the general public knows that.

This is why Navalny returned and Yashin never left.

[bvrmn]

> In the eyes of Russian public opinion, a politician who fled abroad - opposition or not - is not a politician anymore

Public gives no shit where politician sits unless they have influence on politics.

[culebron21]

I confirm the previous poster: in the eyes of even oppositional public those who fled loose credibility -- at least that they can't call people to the streets under SWAT batons; and also living abroad they lose sense of what matters and events are important.