October 20, 2026, 1:44 PMRSSRU

Elena Kotenochkina

Not in RussiaChecked October 18, 2026

Elena Kotenochkina, born 1977, Moscow. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); “The case of Elena Kotenochkina”. Sentenced on December 5, 2024. Status: not in Russia. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted on political grounds, May 22, 2022.

In brief

Moscow · Moscow · Municipal deputies, Politicians · Anti-war cases

Sentence

7 years 6 months

Ban on activity, Imprisonment (in absentia)

Sentence changed December 5, 2024

First instance, July 15, 2024: 7 years 6 months

Charges

  • Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries (based on political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity, or on grounds of hatred or enmity in relation to any social group)
Full wording of the charges

At a meeting of the Council of Deputies on 15 March, she spread deliberately false information "about the Russian Federation conducting military aggressive actions on the territory of another sovereign state, calling that not a special military operation, but a war", about the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army "with the aim of seizing its territory, liquidating its independence, change in its political or social order", about the daily deaths of children during the war in Ukraine, and about the fact that those actions of the Russian army on the territory of Ukraine "as an element of the system of state power are in fact actions of a fascists state". In addition, no later than on 16 March, she recorded a video "about the large number of servicemen performing compulsory military service who are in the combat zone on the territory of Ukraine".

Latest event

December 5, 2024 — appeal

The court changed the sentence to 7 years 6 months.

Checked October 18, 2026 · no changes since October 15

Recognition by rights defenders

Timeline

  1. · Appeal ruling

    sentence changed · 7 years 6 months

  2. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict · 7 years 6 months

  3. · Recognised as persecuted on political grounds

    Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners

  4. · Preventive measure: arrest in absentia

  5. · Persecution begins

    The case of Elena Kotenochkina

Criminal case

The case of Elena Kotenochkina

Case number
01-1134/2023

There are no other defendants in this case in the database.

Thematic group: Anti-war case; The case of Moscow municipal deputies on fakes about the Russian Armed Forces

Details and sources

Full summary

According to OVD-Info

Head of the Moscow municipal district "Krasnoselsky". On 26 April 2022, it became known about the initiation of a criminal case on dissemination of deliberately false information about the Russian Armed Forces. Kotenochkina had previously left the country. On 29 April, she was put on an international wanted list and arrested in absentia. On 15 July 2024, Kotenochkina was sentenced in absentia to seven and a half years.

All fields of the record
Citizenship
Russia
Preventive measures
arrest in absentia
Sources (1)

Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code

Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.

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