Detentions, trials and pressure over anti-war statements and criticism of the war in Ukraine: Human rights news from Russia, court updates & analysis | 152 related articles

11.03.2025

13:07

The magistrate of judicial district No. 1 in the Khaibullinsky district (Bashkortostan) fined Buranbai Askarov under a protocol for spreading deliberately false information of public significance (part 9, article 13.15 of the Administrative Offences Code). This was reported by “Aspekty.”

The protocol was issued because, according to law enforcement, the man published false information about mobilisation in Russia.

In a conversation with “Aspekty,” Askarov linked his prosecution to his support for those involved in the “Baymak case.”

Previously, Askarov headed the local branch of the “Bashkort” movement, which is banned in Russia.

07.03.2025

12:19

Moscow

Unknown individuals set fire to the door of the Moscow apartment belonging to rapper Noize MC (Ivan Alekseev). This was reported today by the pro-Kremlin outlet Izvestia.

The “Pianist Gang” has claimed responsibility for the arson. The perpetrators left a message on the wall next to the apartment door: “Greetings to the enemy and traitor Vanya Noize MC from Pianist.”

The anonymous person who set the door alight stated that it was their way of expressing dissatisfaction with the rapper’s performance in a T-shirt bearing the word “Azov.” “Pianist” claims this refers to the emblem of a battalion that has been designated as terrorist by the Russian authorities.

According to the media, the apartment is owned by the rapper’s “girlfriend.” At the same time, open sources indicate that Noize MC has been married for over 15 years. After the fire, a man who identified himself as the property owner contacted the police. “Izvestia” noted that this man “did not resemble Noize MC.”

After the war in Ukraine began, the rapper spoke out harshly against it and left the country. He also holds anti-war concerts. At one such event in 2024 in Spain, the musician appeared wearing a T-shirt with a photo of a train carriage and the word “Azov.”

The “Pianist Gang” also set fire to the door of the apartment belonging to Leva Bi-2 (real name: Egor Bortnik), lead singer of the band Bi-2. This occurred on 26 February. Unknown persons left a message at the door: “Greetings to the enemy and traitor Leva.” Like Ivan Alekseev, the musician spoke out against the war with Ukraine and left Russia.

12:17

Saint Petersburg

A protocol was drawn up against Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko, bishop of the Apostolic Orthodox Church and human rights defender, for “discrediting the army” (part 1, article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). The case, which was filed in the Nevsky District Court in St Petersburg, was noticed by Mediazona.

The grounds for the protocol are unknown. The priest learned about the case from a Mediazona reporter.

After Russia launched its invasion, Mikhnov-Vaitenko began assisting Ukrainian refugees.

Just a day after the death of Alexei Navalny, on 17 February 2024, the priest was detained after announcing plans to hold a memorial service for the politician at the Solovetsky Stone in St Petersburg. While at the police station, he had a stroke and was then hospitalised.

At that time, the authorities drew up a protocol against Mikhnov-Vaitenko for “publicly calling for mass simultaneous gatherings of citizens in public places” (part 1, article 20.2.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences). In July, the case was dropped due to time limits expiring. That same month, the Ministry of Justice included the priest in the “foreign agents” register over his criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

03.03.2025

13:21

Ivanovo Oblast

The Shuya City Court has fined janitor Ivan Ivlev 30,000 rubles (about US$330) for painting benches and flowerbeds in yellow and blue. This was reported by IvanovoNews, who drew attention to the court’s decision.

Judge Ruslan Beshtoiev found Ivlev guilty of “discrediting the Russian army” (part 1, article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code).

The court’s decision states that Ivlev painted a flowerbed, benches, table, kerbs, canopies and vertical supports in the courtyard of a block of flats “in blue and yellow colours, which are used in the official symbol of Ukraine—the national flag of Ukraine.” According to the judge, in doing so he was “undermining the trust of an undetermined group of people regarding the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the special operation.”

The...

02.03.2025

15:23

Kursk Oblast

German, the Metropolitan of Kursk, has defrocked Father Vladimir Boyarsky, a priest from a border village in Kursk region. The reason was his public criticism of the authorities for the lack of humanitarian aid for local people. The publication “7×7” drew attention to the case.

The group of Archangel Michael Church, where Boyarsky was the rector, stated that on 28 February, Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk signed a decree to defrock him. The document itself is not published on the Kursk diocese website.

A court case against Father Vladimir was initiated following a complaint by Vladimir Zaitsev, the head of Bolshesoldatsky district and a member of the United Russia party. According to locals, he was the official Boyarsky had criticised.

Parishioners said the priest was defrocked because of “provocative films [featuring him] in the media about delivering humanitarian aid to people living in the border area, which compromised certain officials.”

“He [Father Vladimir] was accused of impertinence, reproached for supposedly writing and saying things without the blessing of His Eminence [Metropolitan German]; of slander <…>, of allegedly lying about being beaten,” the parishioners wrote.

In August 2024, locals reported that Boyarsky had been detained and beaten up by police. He was interrogated in a basement on suspicion of collaborating with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Father Vladimir Boyarsky delivered humanitarian aid to residents of Kursk region and held services in border villages. He also blessed Russian military vehicles and supplied them with food.

01.03.2025

19:53

Orenburg Oblast

In Orsk, a city in the Urals, the performance by participants of the KVN comedy team “Uezdny Gorod” was cancelled following criticism from the mayor over their video statement condemning the war in Ukraine. This was reported by “Podjom.”

On 26 February, Orsk mayor Artem Vorobyev wrote on his Telegram channel that comedians Yevgeny Nikishin and Sergei Pisarenko “have been spreading false information about the special military operation.” According to the city head, he had received messages asking how appropriate it was for them to perform in Orsk.

He wrote: “My personal opinion is—absolutely inappropriate!” and asked his followers to share their own views. He also conducted a poll on his channel, with most participants voting against the comedians' performance.

Nikishin and Pisarenko were due...

28.02.2025

13:32

The Tobolsk City Court fined local resident Iosif Manin 30,000 roubles (approximately US$330) for condemning the war in comments on VKontakte. This information was published on the court’s website.

The man was found guilty under the administrative article on “discrediting the Russian army” (Art. 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). According to the ruling, he posted a message about the war and the state in a certain community on the social network.

“That’s the Ministry of Defence’s job, our rotten government, which started this war—they’ve got yachts and apartments in Dubai, while we’re supposed to help our soldiers, the occupiers of foreign lands and territories. I understand everything, Alexei, you’re a patriot and all that, but this whole war is bad and wrong. Now all sorts of Half-Mad Azizovs and generally not very bright people will start commenting about how terrible I am, but in fact, this whole thing with war, the killing of civilians, the destruction of peaceful cities and so on and so forth, it’s complete rubbish…,” the court quotes the man’s comment as saying.

Manin admitted his guilt. The court handed down the minimum possible penalty under this article.

12:50

Kursk Oblast

The Kurchatov City Court in Kursk Oblast has fined local resident Lyudmila Leonova 30,000 roubles (approx. US$325) under the article on ‘discrediting the army’ (Part 1, Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). This was announced by the regional courts' press service.

The basis for the charges was a comment Leonova posted in the ‘Overheard in Kurchatov’ group on VKontakte, a Russian social network. The press service did not reveal what her comment said. As Leonova herself told Mediazona, she wrote that “young guys are being buried in the ground where they shouldn’t be.”

“I basically knew that comments are being monitored [by law enforcement]. I feel hurt for my country, I wanted to draw attention to problems—ultimately, they told me to ‘shut my mouth’ and hand over 30,000 [roubles] to the state. And I have a child who has been disabled since childhood, and my salary is 28,000. All I can do is smile—this is Russia,” Leonova told journalists.

She added that her second child is a service member currently under contract in Ukraine.

26.02.2025

17:21

The Petrogradsky District Court in St Petersburg has fined local resident Georgiy Mirishkin 40,000 roubles (approximately US$440) for laying flowers at the Taras Shevchenko monument. This was reported by the city’s court press service.

The man was found guilty under the article on “discrediting” the Russian army (Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code). The reason for the protocol was that on 24 February, he brought flowers tied with blue and yellow ribbons to the monument to the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko.

The court stated that by doing so, Mirishkin “committed public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the DPR and LPR.” According to OVD-Info, the young man was detained the same day and taken to one of the police stations.

11:29

Moscow

In Moscow, the door of the apartment belonging to the lead singer of the band Bi-2, Yegor Bortnik (Leva Bi-2), was set on fire, reports Baza, which drew attention to a video posted in a private Telegram channel. SHOT writes that the arson was carried out by activists from the “Auction of Fingers” movement.

On the wall next to the apartment, someone wrote: “Greetings to the enemy and traitor Leva from the Pianist.”

The video of the arson was published with the comment that it was a “gift for 23 February.” It also claimed that Bortnik, “who earned his entire living in Russia, but when the war started, fled and began financing the Ukrainian Armed Forces, put his entire band’s business at risk.”

Recently, pro-Kremlin pranksters Lexus and Vovan published a recording of a conversation with Bortnik, in which he allegedly said he transferred money to the Ukrainian army. After this, according to Baza, a major news Telegram channel posted a video with the full address of his apartment. It may refer to a post by Mash, which showed the building’s address and entrance.

At the same time, Shot reports that the Moscow apartment is currently registered in the name of the musician’s former wife.

There has not yet been any official confirmation of the arson of the apartment door belonging to Bortnik or formerly belonging to him. He himself has also not commented yet on the reports of the arson.

The musician has openly spoken out against the war in Ukraine and does not currently live in Russia.

25.02.2025

20:03

Saint Petersburg

A St Petersburg resident was detained on 24 February for laying flowers at a monument and spent the night at the police station. This was reported by OVD-Info lawyer Alyona Skachko, who assisted the woman.

As a result, on 25 February, a report for petty hooliganism was drawn up against the St Petersburg woman and she was released (Article 20.1, Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offences).

24.02.2025

21:22

Moscow

Galina Savvateyeva, a Moscow resident, was detained for laying flowers at the Lesya Ukrainka monument. She is being taken to the Dorogomilovo police station. This was reported by SOTAvision.

The woman was wearing a T-shirt with the inscription: “24.02.2022 February lasting for years.” After she laid the flowers, police officers caught up with Savvateyeva, asked her for identification and photographed her T-shirt. After a while, she was put in a police van and taken to the station.

21:30 An OVD-Info lawyer, Natalia Tikhonova, is on her way to assist Savvateyeva.

21:36 Savvateyeva has been delivered to Dorogomilovo police station.

22:30 Savvateyeva has been released from the police station with a formal warning, according to her lawyer from OVD-Info, Natalia Tikhonova.

17:37

In Ufa, a major city in central Russia, Aida Nuriyeva was detained during a solo picket. She is being taken to Police Station No. 9. Nuriyeva herself reported this to OVD-Info.

The activist was holding a demonstration with a poster reading: “The enticing arches of palaces will never replace freedom for us,” marking the anniversary of the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

18:20 A lawyer from OVD-Info is on their way to assist Nuriyeva.

19:45 Nuriyeva has been released with a warning, her lawyer from OVD-Info reports.

Initially, the police intended to charge her under the article on “discrediting the army” (Art. 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences), but the lawyer convinced them that her demonstration did not constitute an offence.

In addition, before the lawyer arrived, officers forced Nuriyeva to write an explanation. Afterward, an officer without identification tore up the document and threw it away.

18.02.2025

22:02

On 6 February, the Novgorod District Court in Novgorod Region fined local resident Elena Oloer 10,000 roubles (approx. US$110) under the administrative article on incitement of hatred or enmity (Article 20.3.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences). The Research Centre “Sova” drew attention to the court’s decision in their report.

The specific statements that led to the administrative case against the woman are unknown. The court ruling says that, in comments under a post on VKontakte, Oloer joined a discussion about Ukrainians and Russians.

For example, in the screenshot described by the court, there is “a statement that it’s not Ukrainians who are drug addicts, but Russians who rape children and are drug addicts,” and that “the author is ashamed to be Russian.”

At the same time, the court noted that the prosecutor’s office incorrectly assessed Oloer’s statements, alleging she incited hatred towards a group of people based on their political interests and profession—“supporters of Russia,” “Russian military personnel.”

“Political interests and people engaged in specific professions may be considered as belonging to social groups; however, these circumstances were not mentioned when describing the administrative offence,” the judge stated.

09:39

Komi Republic

An elderly woman from Pechora, a town in the Komi Republic, was fined 55,000 roubles (around US$600) for comments against the war, in which she called for people to “go out into the streets” and “organise protests.” OVD-Info discovered the ruling, issued by Pechora City Court on 12 February, here.

The court found the woman guilty of “discrediting the Russian army with calls for mass actions” (part 2, article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). According to the court, from April 2022 to 14 January this year she posted comments under the nickname “KNV” in VKontakte groups “Pro gorod Syktyvkar/News,” “Saint Petersburg Life” and “Typical Pechora.” In these comments, she expressed opposition to the war and called for protests “demanding the resignation of the leadership of the Russian Federation,” and for “organising rallies with the demand to withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine.”

In court, the woman admitted her guilt and expressed remorse, asking not to be given a harsh punishment due to her small pension. She also explained that she had deleted the comments.

The court fined the woman, stating that in her comments the elderly activist “justified the legitimacy of actions by the authorities of Ukraine” and “spoke negatively about the president of the Russian Federation.”

17.02.2025

17:52

Moscow

After asking about joining the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a 31-year-old technician from Moscow, Alexander Sh., was charged with inciting hatred (Article 20.3.1 of the Administrative Offences Code). This was reported by the channel “Ostorozhno, novosti” (“Caution, news”).

In August 2023, Alexander, who lives in Moscow, sent messages to the chat of the Ukrainian state project “I Want to Live,” which helps military personnel from Russia and Belarus safely surrender. Alexander Sh. asked whether it was possible to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces without combat experience, as he was “tired of living and suffering” in Russia, and also asked to be put in touch with a “great training club to destroy the Russkies.” He was sent some links. However, according to “Ostorozhno, novosti,” he did not actually leave Moscow.

A year and a half later, officers from Centre “E” arrested him and drew up an administrative offence report. In court, the Moscow resident admitted guilt.

14.02.2025

12:31

Saint Petersburg

In St Petersburg, two students from the Bonch-Bruevich State University of Telecommunications have been detained for twice shouting a “Ukrainian greeting,” reports Fontanka. They were reported to police by the deputy vice-rector for security.

According to journalists, a call from a university representative was received at Police Department No. 78 during the day on 13 February. Security forces arrived at the scene and detained two students from the first and second year in a corridor.

“It was established that, while walking down the corridor, they twice shouted a Ukrainian greeting out of hooligan motives,” Fontanka’s article says.

The young people were then taken to the police station, where police drew up protocols against them for publicly displaying extremist organisation symbols (Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code). Security forces are considering opening a criminal case against the students.

14:57 Two St Petersburg State University of Telecommunications students who yelled the “Ukrainian greeting” have been sentenced to five days’ arrest under the article on displaying extremist organisation symbols (Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code), reports RusNews.

In addition to the deputy vice-rector, the young men’s friends also testified against them to police. RusNews adds that the students were playing a game to see who could shout the “Ukrainian greeting” louder. The students themselves said they “did not intend to offend anyone” and the shouting was “a stupid joke.”

12.02.2025

20:11

Ivanovo Oblast

Sergei Kustov, the editor-in-chief of the Ivanovo-based media outlet “IvanovoNEWS | BARS,” has been fined 100,000 rubles (approximately US$1,100) over a mistake in the surname of a Russian soldier missing in Ukraine. This was reported by “7×7.”

The Frunzensky District Court found Kustov guilty of “discrediting the Russian army” (part 1, article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code). A report was filed against the journalist in January.

In November 2024, the outlet published the names of 17 servicemembers from Ivanovo Oblast who had gone missing in the war in Ukraine, but spelled one of the surnames incorrectly. Law enforcement considered this to be “spreading unverified information as factual.”

“IvanovoNEWS | BARS” openly supports the war. Previously, Kustov stated that the policeman simply wants to “settle scores” because the outlet has demanded that another high-ranking Ministry of Internal Affairs official be punished: “who blatantly lies and whose actions contain signs of a criminal offence.”

12:57

Sverdlovsk Oblast

In Yekaterinburg, a major city in the Urals, the concert by singer Dora (Darya Shikhanova), which was scheduled for 14 February, has been definitively cancelled. The performance had already been postponed twice to other dates. The organisers announced the cancellation on 4 February here.

No reason for the concert’s cancellation has been given. Dora is among the performers included on an unofficial “blacklist” of artists. On 24 February 2022, she wrote on social media that she was postponing the release of her new album: “This seems so insignificant and foolish. I am endlessly sorry, all of this is incredibly frightening. I wish this was not real,” the singer noted.

11.02.2025

13:54

Primorsky Krai

The Nakhodka City Court has fined a local resident 12,000 roubles (approximately US$130) for a comment about people supporting the war in Ukraine. This was reported by the regional press service for the courts.

The man was found guilty under the article for inciting hatred (Art. 20.3.1 of the Administrative Code); he pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. According to law enforcement, on 3 March last year the man who was fined posted a comment on a group Telegram chat message.