Sergey Makarov

Resident of Voronezh, had a business in construction. Cooperated with the local headquarters of Alexei Navalny, participated in protest and anti-war actions. In February 2022, a court authorised the FSSB to wiretap his conversations and access his computer and phone as part of a check on his involvement in activities containing signs of public justification of terrorism. The occasion was comments in Telegram about Maidan events in Kazakhstan. On 23 February 2022 Makarov planted a Ukrainian flag over the viaduct. The next day he was detained. According to him, unknown people attacked him on the street near his house and pushed him into a minibus, handcuffed him and put a bag over his head. For the first two days he was kept in the basement without any procedural status. On 25 February he was searched at his home, during which Molotov cocktails were found in his basement. Makarov pleaded guilty; he later explained to OVD-Info that he had been forced to do so. He was taken into custody. Among the material evidence in the case are toilet paper with a portrait of Putin and the inscription "PTN PNH" and vodka "Banderivska". Witnesses during the investigation were asked about Makarov's political views. On 20 January 2023, Makarov was sentenced to three years and three months in a general regime colony. He was released in November 2024. In early 2025, according to him, they came to him with an inspection of the premises, saying that they were looking for cartridges and weapons. After that, Makarov decided to leave the country.