Daria Kozyreva
Daria Kozyreva, born 2005, Saint Petersburg. Charges: Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries); “Daria Kozyreva's case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces”, opened on February 25, 2024. Sentence (April 18, 2025): 2 years 8 months' imprisonment in general regime penal colony, a 2 years 6 months' ban on moderating Internet pages. Status: location unknown. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, March 27, 2026.
In brief
Saint Petersburg · Saint Petersburg · Students · Anti-war cases
Sentence
2 years 8 months
imprisonment in general regime penal colony, a 2 years 6 months' ban on moderating Internet pages
Upheld August 26, 2025
Charges
- Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries
- Article 167 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Intentional destruction of or damage to property
Full wording of the charges
The reason for initiating the case was a poster containing a citation of Shevchenko's poem "Testament" pasted on the monument to Taras Shevchenko. Later, another episode appeared in the case — an interview with the YouTube channel "Realii." On 21 December 2023, Kozyreva was fined 30 thousand rubles under Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code because of a post made in VKontakte, which she published on the day when articles on military "fakes" (Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code) and discrediting the Armed Forces (Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code) were added to the Criminal Code, 4 March 2022. In the post, Kozyreva spoke about these amendments, as well as the imperialist nature of war.
Latest event
October 20, 2026 — case status changed
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, March 27, 2026
Timeline
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Imprisonment begins
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 2 years 8 months
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Preventive measure: temporary stay in hospital
· Criminal case opened
Daria Kozyreva's case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Persecution begins
Daria Kozyreva's case of property damage
Criminal case
Daria Kozyreva's case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 1-278/2024
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Daria Kozyreva's case of property damage
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of St. Petersburg. On 19 December 2022, she was detained because of an inscription on an installation about friendship between St. Petersburg and Ukrainian city of Mariupol. A report was drawn up on Kozyreva under the administrative article on discrediting the Armed Forces (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). However, in January 2023, a criminal case on property damage was initiated, considering that the girl's actions caused significant material damage to the owner of the installation, Bright City LLC: more than 250 thousand rubles (US$3075), according to the cost of dismantling works and the cost of restorative repair and subsequent installation of the light composition. Since then, there have been no investigative actions in this case. In addition, on 15 December 2023, Kozyreva was issued a protocol under Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code because of a post on VKontakte, which she published on the day on which articles on military "fakes" (Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code) and discrediting the Armed Forces (Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code) were added to the Criminal Code on 4 March 2022. In the post, Kozyreva spoke about these amendments as well as the imperialist nature of war.
On 24 February 2024, the second anniversary of the start of the war, Kozyreva was detained because of a poster with a fragment of text from Shevchenko's poem Testament pasted on the monument to Taras Shevchenko. Later, it became known that a criminal case on discrediting the Armed Forces was opened against her. On 27 February, she was taken into custody.
In August 2024, it became known that another episode appeared in the case of Kozyreva, in connection with her interview with the YouTube channel Realia. In December 2024, the court returned the case to the prosecutor's office.
On 7 February 2025, Kozyreva's preventive measure was replaced with a ban on certain actions. In March, the Court of Appeal cancelled the decision to return the case to the prosecutor's office.
On 18 April 2025, Kozyreva was sentenced to two years and eight months in a general regime colony. Kozyreva's last word in court gave rise to a case under the administrative article on discrediting the army (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). She was fined 40500 rubles (US$498). O On 18 March 2026, she was released.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Place of detention
- Pre-trial detention centre No. 3, Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast
- Persecution episodes
- 2
Other people prosecuted under Article 167 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.