Russian critic who urged Ukraine talks doesn’t fear arrest

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian politician who questioned Russia’s strategy in Ukraine on national TV says he spoke the truth and doesn’t fear punishment under new laws against spreading fake news about the conflict. Former parliament member Boris Nadezhdin said Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was misled by intelligence services that apparently told him the Ukrainian resistance would be ineffective. Nadezhdin also called for the fighting to end. His comments were notable because of Russia’s moves to stifle criticism of sending troops into Ukraine. Meanwhile, the leader of the Communist Party, called Tuesday for the conflict to be openly called a war. Russian officials have insisted the actions in Ukraine must be called a “special military operation.”