Artemy Ostanin

A resident of Moscow, a stand-up comedian. In March 2025, he was prosecuted for incitement to hatred. The case stemmed from a joke he made about a man who lost his legs due to a landmine explosion, with whom he had a conflict in the subway. The case was opened following a complaint filed by the movement "Zov Naroda" (Call of the People). According to the investigation, Ostanin "made negative and insulting comments about a participant in the special military operation." The comedian himself claims that the joke had nothing to do with the war and that the man he joked about was "a beggar in the metro who has been moving around on a skateboard without legs for about 20 years."

On 18 March 2025, Ostanin was detained in Belarus. When detained, his head was shaved, and he was placed not only in handcuffs but was also put on a meat grinder - apparently related to one of his recent performances, in which he mocked the practice in the Murmansk Region of presenting mothers of fallen soldiers with meat grinders. The defence lawyer stated that Ostanin was severely beaten during the detention. On 19 March, he was taken into custody in Moscow.

In December 2025, it became known that Ostanin was also charged with offending the feelings of believers over a joke about Christ.

You can read more about politically persecuted people in the Telegram channel OVD-Info LIVE and our database of politically motivated criminal prosecutions.