A woman from Irkutsk was detained over a video criticising Russia Day and participants in the war.

Security forces have detained 35-year-old Maria Makhmutova, a resident of Shelekhov in Irkutsk region (eastern Siberia), over a video criticising Russia Day and Russian military personnel. This was reported by the local police and also covered by several media outlets.

According to the police, on 12 June Makhmutova posted a video on Instagram, which has over 5,000 followers, in which, sitting in a car, she swore while speaking critically about the holiday and the Russian armed forces.

‘What kind of holiday is this, for fuck’s sake? What an amazing holiday—Russia Day. And what about you, is there anything to be proud of, huh? What’s there for you to be proud of, for fuck’s sake? That you live—barely scraping by? That you have to kill people to buy yourselves cars and flats, and drink like there’s no tomorrow, and wear fucking medals. Your medals today—they’re a sign for life, a brand for life, that you’re fucking murderers. <…> If all the “SVO-shniki” die tomorrow, I’ll have some wine,’ the woman said, among other things. Later, she posted another video criticising the celebrations for Russia Day, calling what was happening a ‘freaks’ circus.’

After the videos were posted, informants from the “Zov Naroda” (“The People’s Call”) movement reported her to the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor General, claiming her remarks amounted to ‘extremism and incitement of hatred.’ The head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, also ordered an inquiry.

On 13 June, security forces came to Makhmutova’s home. According to RT, the woman did not open the door, saying the lock was broken, and held a knife in her hands. According to the Interior Ministry, she threatened to harm herself and ‘acted inappropriately.’ Emergency Ministry staff forced the door open, and the woman was detained. Makhmutova was taken to the police station, then to a psychiatric hospital for examination. On the way, according to the authorities, she tried to escape several times. The Interior Ministry said her actions are ‘receiving a legal assessment,’ but a criminal case has not yet been confirmed.

On the eve of her detention, Makhmutova recorded an apology video in which she cried, said she wasn’t ready to be separated from her child, and tried to cut her arms. RT reports that the woman previously worked as a flight attendant and has a criminal record.