All assessments of the criminal prosecution of specific individuals, including the designation of detained persons as political prisoners, reflect the position of our Project. Such assessments are not based on the views and assessments of the individuals being prosecuted, their families, friends or lawyers, and do not imply their consent or approval. The information regarding the facts of specific criminal cases published on our Project’s website has been obtained from public sources and does not imply or require the consent of the individuals mentioned therein or their representatives.
Overview 24 Feb, 2026

Four Years into the Full-Scale War: Criminal Prosecution as an Instrument of Repression

Since 2022, at least 4,029 people have faced politically motivated criminal charges in Russia and the occupied territories in connection with the war in Ukraine. Thousands remain imprisoned. No acquittals have been recorded in the cases documented by the project.

The figures are based on verified monitoring data and represent the minimum number of established cases. Owing to restricted access to information and the opacity of the judicial system, the actual number of prosecutions and imprisonments is likely to be significantly higher.

Data as of 18 February 2026.

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