The 1st Western District Military Court sentenced a young Russian man to eight years in a penal colony for distributing anti-war leaflets and filling out a questionnaire for joining the Freedom of Russia Legion, a unit comprised of Russian citizens, which fights against Russian invasion troops alongside Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
This was reported by Mediazona, Ukrinform saw.
The court also banned him from using the internet for two years.
Anton D. was found guilty on four counts – being part of a terrorist organization, plotting a terrorist attack, false reporting of an explosion plot, and high treason.
According to the court, from June to September 2023, the then 17-year-old teenager “started to learn about the armed and ideological missions of the Freedom of Russia Legion and consciously shared its views.”
The suspect, identified as Anton D., filled out a questionnaire about joining the Freedom of Russia Legion and, together with his passport copy, sent it to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which allegedly “confirmed” that the teenager “had joined their ranks.”
After that, he posted leaflets “with bad content about Putin and good one about (late opposition figure Alexei – ed.) Navalny” on the Vytegra local administration building, garbage containers, and poles.
In early March 2024, “at the request of the Legion, the teenager created in a messenger a channel in order to collect information about law enforcers and further transfer it to Ukraine. He also produced a leaflet with the image of the Ukrainian flag along with the text saying that an act of terrorism would allegedly be committed soon.
As Ukrinform reported, in August, volunteers from the Freedom of Russia Legion, fighting alongside Ukraine’s Defense Forces against the backdrop of the ongoing fighting in Kursk region, called on Russian soldiers to surrender, which would allow them switching to the side of the FRL.
Source: Russia sentences man over “Freedom of Russia Legion” leaflets
