In Moscow, authorities released a number of detainees the day before from venues known as Underdog and La Virgen, two craft bars that drew attention in local coverage. Reporters noted that a lawyer, Konstantin Erokhin, had involvement in assisting the detainees, a detail that surfaced amid the broader inquiry.
Sources described the sequence of events at the Basmanny district police station, where staff from the security services conducted interviews with detainees while officers in charge managed the escorting process. The proceedings reportedly included checks to determine whether individuals were willing to unlock their mobile devices for review if required.
According to Erokhin, law enforcement visits to the venues stemmed from information suggesting that one of the bar owners may have been soliciting funds for donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, prompting further curiosity from the Federal Security Service about the matter.
Earlier reports indicated that security forces had arrived in the capital to examine the Underdog and La Virgen establishments on suspicions related to financing the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Public statements from the bars’ management indicated that the businesses would suspend operations on Friday and Saturday, March 17 and 18, amid the investigations. [citation: AP reporting on security service actions and bar closures]