A Chelyabinsk urbanist who previously broke his spine while fleeing from police has been detained.

Mikhail Popov was taken to the police station. "Two officers were holding down a disabled man and snatching his phone,"  сообщил on his Telegram channel, adding that it was “a birthday gift from the Chelyabinsk police.” 

Mikhail Popov and the City Duma elections

Popov was planning to run for the Chelyabinsk City Duma; he spent the summer collecting signatures for his own candidacy. In July, he reported that police had come to his home. Fearing the door would be broken down, he jumped from the second floor and broke his spine. Afterward, Popov I refuse from participating in elections. 

What is known about the pressure on the urbanist?

The urbanist blogs about the modern city. In 2025, he reported that he and a friend were attacked and beaten on the street. Popov called it "a typical pattern of pressure and intimidation," linking the attack to his fight against forest development.