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.
From an electromechanic to a nuclear physicist: new political prisoners named this week
Among those recognised as political prisoners are a disparate group of individuals: from a metallurgist and an electromechanic prosecuted under terrorism charges to a nuclear physicist and a regional official accused of financing Ukraine’s armed forces.
13 Mar, 2026
From anti-war commentators to Ukrainian POWs: new political prisoners
Among those recognised as political prisoners are individuals targeted for speaking out against the war, alongside Ukrainian servicemen held in Russian custody
10 Mar, 2026
Dmitry Salikhov is a political prisoner
An entrepreneur from Vladivostok was sentenced to two years in prison over a WhatsApp status
06 Mar, 2026
From former ‘Aidar’ fighters to Crimean Tatars: new political prisoners
Among those recognised as political prisoners are former members of Ukrainian units, Crimean Tatars, and Russian citizens accused of intending to fight for Ukraine. All of the cases are linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
04 Mar, 2026
Yury Belenky is a political prisoner
An IT specialist who had been living in Bulgaria was arrested in Moscow on charges of financing terrorism after allegedly making a transfer to Arkady Babchenko
03 Mar, 2026
Ihor Bunin is a political prisoner
A resident of Sevastopol was sentenced to 15 years in a maximum-security penal colony for 'high treason' after allegedly sharing coordinates of military facilities that are publicly available
27 Feb, 2026
Sergei Samoilov, Nikita Malsagov, and Kirill Kostygov are political prisoners
Three men were charged with financing the Ukrainian armed forces; two have already been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment
26 Feb, 2026
Mariia Makhmutova is a political prisoner
The blogger, who criticised Russia Day, was sentenced to a low-security penal colony for allegedly insulting and assaulting police officers
25 Feb, 2026
Arina Ivanova is a political prisoner
An animal rights activist from Novokuznetsk was sentenced to five years in a penal colony on a charge of spreading ‘fake news’ about the Russian army for a post about Bucha
24 Feb, 2026
Andrii Haiduchenko, Vitalii Kononenko, Serhii Kozinskyi and Volodymyr Shevchenko are political prisoners
Four Ukrainians were sentenced to terms of imprisonment for serving in the Aidar Battalion
20 Feb, 2026
Tatyana Solntseva, Charaz Akimov and Aleksandr Krechetov are political prisoners
Residents of Barnaul, occupied Yalta, and Novokuznetsk have been charged with ‘collusion with foreigners’
19 Feb, 2026
Danila Bargrov and Yeva Bagrova are political prisoners
Last year, a 19-year-old man and his 17-year-old sister were sentenced to nine and four years of imprisonment, respectively, on charges of collaborating with the Russian Volunteer Corps
18 Feb, 2026
Eight prisoners of war from the Aidar Battalion are political prisoners
Eight Ukrainians have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 13 to 20 years on charges of ‘participation in a terrorist organization’ for serving in the Ukrainian armed forces
17 Feb, 2026
Makar Nikolaev is a political prisoner
A student who travelled from Germany to Russia on vacation has been sentenced to six years in a penal colony for comments in support of the Free Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps
16 Feb, 2026
Konstantin Shukhanov is a political prisoner
A resident of Irkutsk Oblast has been sentenced to seven and a half years in a penal colony on charges of justifying terrorism and inciting extremism for comments online
13 Feb, 2026
Fourteen Ukrainian soldiers from the Noman Çelebicihan 48th Separate Assault Battalion are political prisoners
Fourteen Ukrainian prisoners of war have been sentenced on terrorism charges to terms of imprisonment ranging from 14 to 20 years
12 Feb, 2026
Aleksei Dekhonov, Ivan Shcherbakov, and Maksim Podterebkov are political prisoners
Residents of Khabarovsk Krai, Krasnoyarsk Krai, and Khakassia have been sentenced to terms of up to 13 years in strict regime penal colonies for financing the Ukrainian armed forces
11 Feb, 2026
Ramil Damirov and Kallibek Eseniyazov are political prisoners
A native of Azerbaijan and a citizen of Uzbekistan have been sentenced to terms of nine and seven years in a strict regime penal colony for attempting to join the Free Russia Legion
10 Feb, 2026
Aleksei Sokolov is a political prisoner
The human rights activist from Yekaterinburg has once again been remanded in custody; this time on a charge of treason for defending prisoners’ rights
09 Feb, 2026
Dariia Yegereva and Eduard Baltykov are political prisoners
The Selkup human rights defender and the Kalmyk activist have been remanded in custody on charges of involvement in a terrorist organisation
06 Feb, 2026
Konstantin Bernatov is a political prisoner
A resident of Stavropol Krai has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment for making donations to the Anti-Corruption Foundation
05 Feb, 2026
Aleksandr Kachkurkin is a political prisoner
An IT specialist with dual Ukrainian and Russian citizenship was deported from Kazakhstan to Russia where he was remanded in custody on a charge of treason
04 Feb, 2026
Gennady Novitsky, Vladimir Khvan and Magomed Kurabegov are political prisoners
Three men were convicted on charges of collusion with foreign nationals
03 Feb, 2026
Yevgeny Melikhov is a political prisoner
A man from Chelyabinsk has been sentenced to five and a half years in a penal colony for the online comment ‘Death to Putin’
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