A case has been opened against Nikita Parmenov, editor-in-chief of “Pepl” in Belgorod, a city in western Russia, for “justifying terrorism.”

The Belgorod region office of the FSB has opened a criminal case against the editor-in-chief of “Pepl,” Nikita Parmenov, for “justifying terrorism” (part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code), reports RusNews. According to the authorities, the journalist expressed support for the “Russian Volunteer Corps” and the “Freedom of Russia” legion—both of which have been declared terrorist organisations in Russia. Parmenov faces up to seven years in prison.

The FSB has not specified which statements formed the basis for the case. “Pepl” itself suggests that it relates to a livestream on the YouTube channel “Time Will Judge.” In it, Parmenov said that he could not condemn Russians who picked up arms and were helping Ukraine reclaim its independence. At the same time, he specifically stated that he unequivocally condemns the actions of units that shelled civilians in Belgorod region, a border area in western Russia.

In August, a pro-war Telegram channel, “Zapiski Veteraна” (“Notes of a Veteran”), published a snippet from the livestream. Its author, Alexey Kargopoltsev, claimed that Parmenov was “justifying terrorists.” “Pepl” noted that he had deliberately cut the snippet to remove the part condemning the shelling.

“Pepl Belgorod” was established in autumn 2022 and reports on the war and its consequences for people living in the border region. In January 2026, “Meduza” called it the only Belgorod-based media outlet reporting on the border situation without censorship.

The regional authorities have repeatedly accused “Pepl” of spreading “fake news” and attempting to destabilise the situation. Parmenov told “Meduza” that a local priest in Belgorod even dedicated a sermon to the publication, calling it “demonic” and “God-fighting,” and labelling its authors “enemies of the human race.”

Previously, a protocol was drawn up against Parmenov for “failure to fulfil obligations of a foreign agent.” In February 2025, he was included in the register of “foreign agents.” The journalist left Russia in 2023 and continues to run the newsroom remotely.