Russian authorities sentenced a Sevastopol resident to five and a half years in prison over comments about the Kerch Bridge, which was illegally constructed by Russian occupiers

The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Sevastopol resident Oleksandr Maliarenko to five years and six months in a general-regime penal colony, the Russian court’s press service reported. He was convicted of “justifying terrorism” and “calling for extremist activity” over posts published on a messaging platform.

Southern District Military Court. Photo from open sources

According to the Russian investigation, between 2024 and 2025, the man posted messages and comments in public groups in which he allegedly endorsed strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Russian territory, temporarily occupied Crimea and the Kerch Bridge. Occupation law enforcement authorities also claim that he called for attacks on Russian military and infrastructure facilities.

In addition, Oleksandr Maliarenko was charged with seven counts of “calling for violence against Russian citizens“. In total, he faced 15 charges under articles covering “justification of terrorism” and “extremist activity”. The verdict has not yet entered into force and may be appealed.

Earlier, ZMINA reported that in occupied Simferopol, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, security officers detained a man on accusations of publicly calling for “terrorist activity” and “extremism”. The detainee is a 48-year-old man whose identity has not been disclosed. According to the FSB, he allegedly posted messages in pro-Ukrainian online groups calling for strikes on central Moscow and violence against Russians.

Human rights groups have repeatedly pointed out that in occupied territories, the Russian authorities use accusations of “extremism”, “terrorism”, and “discrediting the army” to persecute people for pro-Ukrainian views and comments posted on social media. For example, a man was recently detained in the occupied city of Berdiansk on similar charges for comments posted online.

In April 2026, it emerged that a pensioner from occupied Crimea had been sentenced to six years in a penal colony over comments posted online.

The United Nations believes that Russia has created an atmosphere of fear in the occupied territories of Ukraine following its assessment of the situation. In occupied Crimea, the Russian authorities reportedly regard around 7,000 people as “unreliable” and have opened at least 1,729 cases over dissent since 2022.

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