Vitalii Koltsov
- Criminal Code
- Article 167 part 2, Russian Criminal CodeArticle 318 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
- Case category
- Cases related to mass actions
- Verdict
- Compulsory labour
- Sentence
- 2 years
- Date of verdict
- 2023-06-14
- Region
- Moscow
- City
- Moscow
- Address for letters
- 127055, г. Москва, ул. Новослободская д. 45, ФКУ СИЗО-2 УФСИН России по г. Москве ("Бутырка"), Кольцов Виталий Витальевич, 1976 г.р.
Case summary
Resident of Moscow, father of three children. Detained on 4 May 2022 after throwing two Molotov cocktails at a detention vehicle in central Moscow. Koltsov was accused of damaging property as well as attempting to harm the lives of 12 law enforcement officers, although according to eyewitnesses, there were not that many people inside the detention vehicle at the time of the throwing. Koltsov claimed that he did not want to kill anyone.
On 7 June 2023, a jury found Koltsov guilty only on the property damage count. Despite this, the prosecution demanded that he be sentenced to 19 and a half years in a strict regime colony. On 14 June, the court, while passing sentence, reclassified the charge from attempt on the life of employees to the use of violence against them and sentenced Koltsov to six years in a general regime colony.
On 11 September 2025, at Koltsov's request, the court commuted his remaining term in the colony to community work.
Others charged under Article 167 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
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Source: this person’s record in the OVD-Info political persecution database
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