'disappear' was more of an 'artistic brush'. Prominent journalists or opposition members are killed in broad daylight and/or in public. They may be 'blessed' w

'disappear' was more of an 'artistic brush'. Prominent journalists or opposition members are killed in broad daylight and/or in public. They may be 'blessed' with a jail sentence, or if they are very lucky and will "smell the assassins breath" - they will escape the country. Oligarchs who were opposing Putin in 2000s are either dead, in jail or left the country (and left their businesses to the government). Boris Nemtsov - was killed in the middle of Moscow, was well known opponent of current Russian political system, after his death practically all opposition is oppressed, because not any opponent wants to die anymore (knowing that there are not many prominent opposition leaders left in Russia). If you criticize Putin or government too hard you will "magically" earn few criminal cases and it's highly likely you will be convicted (e.g. Alexei Nemtsov, M. Khodorkovsky). You could be in jail as long as they wish, because they "may find extra details" about your case just before you need to be released (Khodorkovsky's case). If you "speak too much" they will make you "dissapear" from public eye, either by death, jail, making you leave the country or just making sure that you never appear publicly again.