Ilia Podkamennyi

He worked at the Subway fast-food chain. Podkamennyi was detained in November 2022. According to the investigation, he wrapped copper wire around railway tracks and attached handwritten leaflets to the tracks. The leaflets contained slogans such as "Death to the Katsaps!", "Instead of leaves, Putinists will be hanging", and "Freedom for Siberia!".

Podkamennyi admitted his guilt. From 17 November to 21 December, he was under house arrest. Then the investigator appointed an stationary psychiatric assessment, after which the young man injured himself and was taken to hospital. Then the investigator asked the court to send Podkamennyi to the pre-trial detention centre.

In December, it became known that a case had also been opened against the young man for preparing and organising terrorist attack (presumably, under Article 205 of the Criminal Code with the application of Article 30 of the Criminal Code, as well as Part 4 of Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code). Podkamennyi was accused of collecting funds to prepare an explosion at the local military recruitment office. Later it was reported that the case also included articles on undergoing training for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities (Article 205.3 of the Criminal Code) and on publicly justifying terrorism (Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code).

Podkamennyi entered into a pre-trial agreement with the investigation, but it was annulled because the first offence he was charged with was committed while he was still a minor. On 19 October 2023, Podkamennyi was sentenced to 12 years in a strict regime colony.

Arson attacks on military recruitment centres have become a popular form of anti-war protest, which, of course, cannot be called peaceful, but in the vast majority of cases this action looks more like a gesture of despair than a planned act intended to cause serious damage. It is known that not all cases of arson attacks on military recruitment offices during the war were classified as terrorist acts. It should be noted that no one was harmed by Podkamennyi's actions, and even if the arson was planned, the young man did not have the opportunity to carry it out. In this regard, the classification of his actions as terrorist, as well as the use of four articles from the "terrorist package", seems excessive.

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