A resident of Khabarovsk has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for placing leaflets on the graves of war veterans.

The 1st Eastern District Military Court has sentenced a 37-year-old resident of Khabarovsk to 15 years in prison for placing leaflets of the “Freedom of Russia” Legion—an armed unit composed mainly of Russian prisoners of war and volunteers, which the Russian Supreme Court declared a terrorist organisation and banned in March 2023—on the graves of those who died in the war in Ukraine. This was reported by the Khabarovsk Krai Prosecutor’s Office.

The sentence was handed down back on 26 June. The first five years will be served in prison, with the remaining term to be spent in a high-security penal colony.

According to the investigation, from February 2022 to August 2023, the man joined the Freedom of Russia Legion. Representatives of the organisation allegedly sent him leaflets “demonstrating a negative attitude towards Russia,” which he then placed, on their instructions, at the burial sites of those who fought in the war. The Khabarovsk resident was found guilty of confidential cooperation with foreigners (Article 275.1 of the Criminal Code), membership in a terrorist organisation (Part 2 of Article 205.5), propaganda of terrorism (Part 1 of Article 205.2), and desecration of burial places on grounds of hatred (Item “b” Part 2 of Article 244).