An artist from Rybinsk has been sentenced to eight years for sending money transfers to Vyacheslav Maltsev

The 2nd Western District Military Court has sentenced 62-year-old artist and local historian from Rybinsk, Alexei Orleansky, to eight years in prison on charges of financing terrorism (part 1.1, article 205.1 of the Criminal Code). This was reported by the Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial project.

According to the prosecution, Orleansky transferred 23,000 roubles (approximately US$250) to Vyacheslav Maltsev. In an operational video published by the FSB, the man says he was detained for donating to Maltsev’s YouTube channel and expresses regret about it.

Orleansky is to spend the first two years in prison, with the remaining term to be served in a high-security penal colony. In addition, the court fined him 300,000 roubles (about US$3,200).

Vyacheslav Maltsev is an opposition politician and founder of the Artpodgotovka movement. In 2017, his organisation was declared extremist and banned in Russia.

Alexei Orleansky graduated from the Palekh Art School. He worked in the style of Palekh miniature, illustrated books and calendars, published local history postcards and created themed decks of playing cards. The characters in his works included the heroes of Pushkin and Gogol, Russian tsars, and characters from Soviet cinema.