In Moscow, activists defending Losiny Ostrov National Park have been detained outside the State Duma.

Near the State Duma building in Moscow, police detained journalist Marat Nikandrov, who was holding a solo protest with a placard reading: “Hands off Losiny Ostrov. Let’s protect the Pearl of the Moscow Region together!,” he told OVD-Info.

Along with Nikandrov, Ratmir Klipikov and Vasily Krasnov, who came to support him, were also detained. All three were taken to the Tverskoy police station. Lawyer Oskar Cherdzhiev went to assist the detainees.

In 2023, the Ministry of Justice added Nikandrov to the registry on the basis of his own statement of intent to act as a “foreign agent.” He himself said that he submitted the information “as a joke” and complained that the Ministry of Justice did not even inform him personally of assigning the status.

5 December: The Tverskoy District Court in Moscow sentenced both Nikandrov and Krasnov to 15 days of administrative arrest each under the article on disobeying a lawful order from a police officer, lawyer Oskar Cherdzhiev said.

They have also been charged under the protest-related article; those cases will be reviewed later.

15:30 Ratmir Klipikov was also sentenced to 15 days of arrest, reports lawyer Oskar Cherdzhiev.

18:33 All three detainees have been taken to the special detention centre in Sakharovo.