Those convicted of arson were sentenced to terms ranging from 8.5 to 23 years
~ Sean Patterson ~
As reported by Solidarity Zone, on October 2 the Second Eastern District Military Court in Chita (far eastern Russia) sentenced thirteen young men to prison for acts of “sabotage and terrorism”. The group was accused of arson at strategic transit points along the Moscow-Krasnoyarsk line. Three of the defendants were further charged with conspiring to destroy fighter jets at a military base in the far eastern Primorsky territory. The prosecution alleged that these actions occurred between December 2022 and January 2023.
The case against the defendants began in March 2024. Chita.ru reported at that time that “according to the investigation, an unknown person organised a criminal organisation, which, in addition to himself, included thirteen people. He did this to undermine the economic stability and defence capability of Russia and destabilise the activities of the Russian authorities so that they would cease the Special Military Operation [in Ukraine]”.
Those convicted of arson were sentenced to terms ranging from 8.5 to 23 years. Yegor Kusonets, 20-years-old, received the longest sentence of 23 years in prison.
The first six years of Kusonets term will be served in an infamous krytka (“clink”) prison colony. These colonies are known for their extreme inhumane conditions, where “terrorists” and “especially dangerous criminals” are imprisoned. Inmates receive only 2.5 square meters of cell space—half the space allotted in normal prisons—and exercise is limited to two hours of walking in a cramped concrete box.
Twenty-one-year-old Vladislav Turturgeshev was sentenced to 21 years in prison, and 20-year-old Artyom Begoyan to 20 years. Alexei Nifontov, 20-years-old, was charged with “assisting sabotage activities” and sentenced to 4 years.
Other defendants in the case included Vadim Shekhter, who turned 18 in pre-trial detention, 20-year-old Matvey Kirillov, Karomatullokh Nematulloev, and Ilya Demeshov, 21-year-old Konstantin Zeltsev, 22-year-old Danil Volobuev and Yevgeny Elizarov, 25-year-old Vasily Nizhegorodov and 26-year-old Amal Igamberdiev. All of them were added to Rosfinmonitoring’s “List of Terrorists and Extremists.”
The Russian government’s persecution of anti-war activists continues to intensify across the country. Earlier this year, three young anarchists from Chita—19-year-old Alexander Snezhkov, 16-year-old Lyubov Lizunova, and Vladislav Vishnevsky—were convicted on terrorism charges for writing graffiti and administering two anti-war telegram channels.
Most recently, Russia’s Federal Security Service reported last Tuesday that they had detained 39 “pro-Ukrainian radicals” across the country for allegedly attempting to recruit young people on Discord to carry out acts of violence.
To date, 1061 defendants face criminal charges in anti-war cases in Russia, and 325 individuals have been deprived of their freedom in pre-trial detention centres or correctional facilities.
