Russia's reluctant teen activist

In 2019, Russian opposition activist Anastastia Shevchenko was placed under house arrest in southern Russia. The case has transformed life for her 15-year-old daughter, Vlada, who now runs a popular blog about her mother’s arrest and attends events to speak on her behalf. Anastasia, a single mum, is facing up to six years behind bars under Russia’s law on ‘"undesirable organisations" that targets groups receiving foreign funding. Vlada told the BBC that, unlike Greta Thunberg, she didn’t choose this role and would have preferred a ‘normal’ childhood. But the teenager no longer sees a life for herself outside politics.

(Photo: Vlada in Rostov. Credit: BBC)