The Sochi resident received a sentence for spreading fakes about the army.

The court in Sochi sentenced local resident Evgeny Krasnikov to three years in prison, recognizing his posts on social media as "knowingly false information" about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The man was also charged with incitement to violence against "Russian people."

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the dissemination of fakes about the army was introduced on March 4, 2022, after the start of the Russian operation in Ukraine. This article of the Criminal Code contradicts the Constitution of Russia, as well as basic principles of law, human rights activists stated.

The Central District Court of Sochi announced the verdict for local resident Evgeny Krasnikov, who was accused of extremism (paragraph "b" of part 1 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code of Russia) and spreading fakes about the army (part 1 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of Russia). The first article provides for a sentence of two to five years in prison, the second - up to five years of imprisonment or forced labor.

According to the prosecution's version, in the summer of 2024, Krasnikov repeatedly published on his social media page "information and comments" in which law enforcement saw "knowingly false information about the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation." The posts were accompanied by "offensive and obscene expressions and profanity," noted the message from the United Press Service of the courts of Kuban.

"In addition, the defendant in his publications called for actions related to violence, danger, and harm against Russian people," reported the official Telegram channel of the OPS.

Krasnikov's page, according to the court, was accessible to an unlimited number of users on the network. In court, the man refused to testify but "fully admitted his guilt and expressed remorse for his actions," the court claims.

Krasnikov was sentenced to three years in a settlement colony. The verdict has not yet entered into legal force. The "Caucasian Knot" currently has no comments from Krasnikov or his lawyer regarding plans to appeal the verdict.

Evgeny Krasnikov is a native of Sochi, and he turned 42 on September 2, according to the record in the register of terrorists and extremists of Rosfinmonitoring. His data was added to the list on May 19.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that a resident of the Stavropol Territory, Sergey Dubkov, was arrested three times for petty hooliganism, after which he was charged with spreading fakes about the army on Telegram. The court sentenced Dubkov to six years in a colony.