A Russian court is soon expected to outlaw opposition politician Alexei Navalny’s nationwide political organization on the grounds it is “extremist”, in a landmark step forward for Vladimir Putin’s crackdown on political dissent.

The highly anticipated court decision will effectively liquidate Navalny’s non-violent opposition movement and bar his allies from running for office for years, as the Kremlin seeks to erase the jailed opposition leader from Russian political life. 

Legal aides representing the Navalny movement said they believed the court was attempting to fast-track a hearing and deliver a verdict on Wednesday but would be slowed down by their “numerous appeals”.

A decision would either come late on Wednesday or have to be delayed, wrote Ivan Pavlov, a lawyer for the defense.