HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE FREED IN SWAP SAYS RUSSIA IS SLIDING BACK TOWARD STALINIST TIMES

BERLIN (AP) — A human rights activist since the 1980s, Oleg Orlov thought Russia had turned a corner when the Soviet Union collapsed and a democratically elected president became leader. But then Vladimir Putin rose to power, crushing dissent and launching a fullscale invasion of Ukraine. Finally, the 71-yearold Orlov was himself thrown in prison for opposing the war. Freed last week in the larges…