Evgenii Anisimov

Owner of the YouTube channel "Beautiful Russia". On 23 April 2024, the channel's editorial office was searched. On that day, journalists planned to hold a press conference and present the results of the "Yekaterinburg Sprut" investigation into the activities of businessman and ex-member of the Public Chamber Bogdan Novorok. According to "Beautiful Russia", the businessman is involved in the appropriation of land in Yekaterinburg, and the channel members were going to present evidence at the conference.

After the search Anisimov was detained, it became known that he is a suspect in a libel case. Later it was reported that he was charged with libel and violation of privacy. The next day the Leninsky District Court of Yekaterinburg ordered him to ban certain actions

The journalist's lawyer Natalia Volkova said that force was used against her client: he has abrasions and bruises on his body. "My leg was beaten off, I have haematomas, abrasions and bruises all over my body: on my face, arms and legs," Anisimov himself told an "It's My City" journalist before the hearing.

On 6 February 2025, Anisimov was detained as part of a case of incitement to hatred against representatives of the authorities. The next day he was sent to custody. On 17 April 2025, the preventive measure was changed to house arrest. In July, the investigator did not request the extension of house arrest. Since then, Anisimov has been under a recognisance not to leave.

Later, the charge of violation of privacy was dropped - the journalists managed to prove that the information they published about Bogdan Novorok and other characters of the story "Yekaterinburg Sprut" could not refer to private life, as it was taken from open sources. However, Anisimov was accused of incitement to hatred.

On the night of 8 January 2026, after a business meeting, Anisimov and another "Beautiful Russia" journalist, Yevgenii Russkikh, were attacked by eight unknown men and severely beaten. Anisimov was diagnosed with a closed head injury, a fractured zygomatic bone and a severe concussion.