The Shuya City Court has fined janitor Ivan Ivlev 30,000 rubles (about US$330) for painting benches and flowerbeds in yellow and blue. This was reported by IvanovoNews, who drew attention to the court’s decision.
Judge Ruslan Beshtoiev found Ivlev guilty of “discrediting the Russian army” (part 1, article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code).
The court’s decision states that Ivlev painted a flowerbed, benches, table, kerbs, canopies and vertical supports in the courtyard of a block of flats “in blue and yellow colours, which are used in the official symbol of Ukraine—the national flag of Ukraine.” According to the judge, in doing so he was “undermining the trust of an undetermined group of people regarding the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the special operation.”
The judge noted that “Ivlev’s actions caused a significant public response,” because photos of the courtyard were posted on social media.
The case materials included a post from the ‘Overheard in Shuya’ community about the courtyard: “!!! Painted yard!!! There’s a patriot who painted the playground and the whole yard in the colours of the Ukrainian Armed Forces flag. Some people have relatives or friends in the special military operation, and here’s this.”
Ivlev himself did not admit guilt and said he chose the colours “for their brightness,” and that he did not know what the Ukrainian flag looked like.
“He explained that he looks after the yard to keep it clean and nice, applying paint over the old coating, which had also been painted in yellow and blue. The day after the administrative offence protocol was drawn up, he completely repainted four benches yellow; he had not yet had time to repaint the other structures in the yard,” the court decision says.
Later, Ivlev clarified that the benches, flowerbeds and other objects in the yard had been painted in yellow and blue since 2017.
Judge Beshtoiev delivered his ruling in July 2024. A month later, the Ivanovo Regional Court overturned it, finding that Ivlev’s actions did not constitute an offence.
The regional court concluded that in order to convict the janitor, intent to discredit the army needed to be proven. Judge Beshtoiev, in his decision, asserted that intent was not required.
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On 17 May 2024, Alexander Zumorin was detained outside the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow while holding a sign reading: “No to war.” / Photo provided by the detainee’s wife