Prosecutors have requested an 18-year prison sentence in absentia for Leonid Volkov in a case involving 45 episodes.

During closing arguments at the 2nd Western District Military Court in Moscow, prosecutors requested an 18-year prison sentence in absentia for politician Leonid Volkov. Volkov himself reported this on his Telegram channel.

The first seven years of the sentence would be served in prison, with the remaining 11 years in a strict-regime penal colony. Additionally, prosecutors requested a fine of 3.9 million roubles (about US$43,000), a 10-year ban on internet-related activities, and two years of restrictions on his freedom.

The case comprises 45 episodes. Volkov is charged with four episodes of fraud committed by a group or on a particularly large scale (Part 4, Article 159 of the Criminal Code), two episodes of vandalism by a group or motivated by political hatred (Part 2, Article 214), 16 episodes of justification of terrorism on the internet (Part 2, Article 205.2), and 18 episodes of spreading military “fakes” by a group and for political hatred (Items “b” and “d” of Part 2, Article 207.3).

He is also accused of one episode each of: rehabilitation of Nazism by a group and online (Items “b” and “v” of Part 2, Article 354.1), involving a minor in anti-social activities (Items “a,” “b” and “v” of Part 2, Article 151.2), creating a non-profit organisation infringing on the person and rights of citizens (Part 2, Article 239), funding an extremist organisation (Part 2, Article 282.3), and organising an extremist community using his official position (Part 3, Article 282.1).

In the summer of 2022, the first criminal case against Leonid Volkov for justifying terrorism was opened. In August 2022, it became known that eight hosts of the YouTube show “Popular Politics,” including Volkov, were facing criminal cases for spreading “fakes” about the Russian army (Article 207.3) and justifying terrorism (Article 205.2).

In October 2024, the politician reported another criminal case against him. This one included 16 episodes: 13 for justifying terrorism online and three for knowingly spreading false information about actions of the Russian military by a group motivated by political, ideological, or other hostility.

In April 2025, the case was submitted to the 2nd Western District Military Court.