A St Petersburg woman accused of spreading “fake news” due to her anti-war posts has been released in the courtroom

The court sentenced 49-year-old accountant Marina Kizlyk to seven months in a penal settlement under the article on spreading “fake news” about the Russian army, reports Mediazona.

Kizlyk had been held in a pre-trial detention centre since 19 July. Due to recalculating the sentence to account for time spent in pre-trial detention, her punishment is considered served.

Until the verdict comes into force, the St Petersburg resident will remain under a travel ban.

The prosecutor had asked for a three-year sentence in a general regime colony.

The prosecution was triggered by two images Kizlyk posted on VKontakte with the following text:

“A year ago, the Russian Armed Forces struck the railway station in Kramatorsk, where hundreds of civilians were waiting for a chance to evacuate. As a result of this war crime, 51 people were killed and more than 700 wounded”;

“Putin continues to kill. For victory, for some reason, he needs dead women and children” (about the strike on Kryvyi Rih and the death of a child).

The St Petersburg resident fully admitted their guilt.