23:46, 20 February 2023

Disappearance of blogger Vadim Kharchenko* in Krasnodar Territory alarms his acquaintances

Vadim Kharchenko*. Screenshot of the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpQQBLzwJzs *Included by the Russian Minister of Justice into the register of foreign agent

Vadim Kharchenko*, a blogger from Gelendzhik, has not been in contact for two weeks, his acquaintances say. They express their fear for the life of the blogger. Vadim Kharchenko* was arrested in a criminal case on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, sources reported.

On July 23, 2022, it became known that the court fined Vadim Kharchenko* on the charge of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces in a video that the blogger posted on his YouTube channel. In the video, Vadim Kharchenko* criticizes local authorities, reports about violations of the law by the police, and expresses a critical opinion about the special military operation in Ukraine.

On January 20, the Russian Ministry of Justice included Vadim Kharchenko* in the list of foreign agents, explaining that the blogger received support from foreign sources, disseminated messages from foreign agents and negative information about the activities of the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD). The blogger said that he was recognized as a foreign agent after he had announced his plans to participate in local elections. Vadim Kharchenko* denied the information that he received funding from foreign sources.

Irina Volgina, a subscriber of Vadim Kharchenko*’s channel, complained that she could not get through to him for 10 days. “His mobile phone is switched off. I’m worried that he could be killed,” the subscriber said.

Olga Solovyova, one of the defrauded real estate investors whose case was covered by Vadim Kharchenko*, also shared her concern. “His last video was released on February 5. We tried to call him, but his mobile phone was switched off ... We were at his house, but no one opened the doors ... Earlier, Vadim was constantly saying that someone was going to kill him, cripple him for criticizing the Russian authorities. The blogger also criticized the special military operation in Ukraine,” Olga Solovyova said.

According to unconfirmed information, Vadim Kharchenko* resisted the police during his detention, and he was placed under house arrest with “a restriction imposed on the use of telecommunications,” the “Khoroshiy Gelendzhik” (Good Gelendzhik) Telegram channel reported.

If Vadim Kharchenko* was really detained, then his mobile phone was seized, advocate Sergey Kostyuk suggested.

Let us remind you that in June 2019, Vadim Kharchenko* was attacked near the Krasnodar airport. According to the blogger, one of the people unknown to him fired several shots, presumably from a traumatic pistol, while another stabbed him several times.

*Included by the Russian Minister of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 20, 2023 at 04:20 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Kristina Romanova

Source: СK correspondent