Two people were detained in Mariupol on suspicion of legitimizing terrorism and the Crimean Bridge attack, according to a report from TASS based on official statements.
Security services concluded that the individuals used videos and social media comments to back the terrorist activities of a prohibited neo-Nazi organization in Ukraine and to praise the 2023 attack on the Crimean Bridge. The specific organization was not identified in the notice.
Two criminal cases have been opened against Mariupol residents under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code, reflecting charges tied to public support and justification of terrorism.
In February of this year, a Yekaterinburg court sentenced a Ural public relations specialist and activist, Yaroslav Shirshikov, to two years in prison for his role in legitimizing the attack on war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky. He had been detained in April 2023 after a post on his Telegram channel.
This case marks a notable moment in Russia as authorities report the first instance where a person has faced deprivation of citizenship for disseminating false information about the military.