FSB detains Sevastopol resident over Telegram comments

Russian security forces in occupied Sevastopol have reported the detention of a resident for alleged “public calls for extremist activity” in Telegram comments, a charge that could carry a sentence of up to five years in prison. Russian propaganda media in the region reported the detention.

According to occupying security forces, the man left comments on Telegram that allegedly contained calls for violence against a group of people based on their nationality.

A criminal case has been opened against him under Part 2 of Article 280 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for public calls for extremist activity using the internet.

Occupying authorities have not released the name of the detainee or the content of the comments.

Related: 11 years of oppression and repression: How human rights in occupied Crimea are approaching zero

Russian security forces systematically persecute residents of temporarily occupied Crimea for statements made online. In just two weeks in September 2026, they opened at least four criminal cases for posts and comments on social networks. The detentions took place in Sudak, the Saky district, and Kerch.

Additionally, the occupation prosecutor’s office in the peninsula has sent to the Southern District Military Court the case of a resident of Sudak. She is accused of allegedly calling for terrorist acts and violence based on nationality for comments that the Russian investigation claims she published between August 2022 and June 2023. The occupation authorities have also not released the content of these posts.

You may also want to read: From “soft power” to torture chambers: patterns of Russia’s seizure of new states based on Ukraine’s experience

Previously, in August 2026, the FSB detained another Sevastopol resident on suspicion of “justifying terrorism”. The Russian side claims the man left comments on Telegram in support of the Russian Volunteer Corps. He faces up to seven years in prison.

Earlier, the UN had also concluded, following its assessment of the situation, that Russia had created an atmosphere of fear in the occupied territories of Ukraine. 

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