Eldar Marchenko
Eldar Marchenko, born 1972, Moscow. Charges: Article 205 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Terrorist attack (by a group or with serious consequences)); “Eldar Marchenko's case”. Sentence (August 12, 2025): 16 years' imprisonment in a maximum security prison. Status: imprisoned. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Teachers · Terrorism cases
Sentence
16 years
imprisonment in a maximum security prison
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 205 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Terrorist attack (by a group or with serious consequences)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation team, "as part of an organised group, no later than August 22, 2023, using the Signal app he received information from unknown persons about the installation of GPS Test software on the phone he had purchased in Moscow and its activation in Kursk at the railway station". In addition, "as part of an organised group, while transmitting audiovisual and radio-electronic information to co-conspirators in the terrorist attack, he executed calculations and adjustments for two UAVs filled with hexogen of 1 kg each. As a result, on August 27, 2023, an apartment building on Karl Marx Street in Kursk was damaged, and the second UAV exploded in mid-air." Allegedly he was also accused of involvement in attacks on the Rostov region in 2022.
Latest event
August 12, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 16 years.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 16 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Persecution begins
Eldar Marchenko's case
Criminal case
Eldar Marchenko's case
- Case number
- 1-262/2025
Thematic group: The case of military attacks on regions of Russia
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Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Moscow, lecturer in sports management at RMA Business School. In 2022, wrote several columns for the independent paper "Vot Tak".
On August 1st 2024, FSB officers searched Marchenko's home without providing any documents permitting to do so. He was then taken for interrogation to the FSB Directorate in Lubyanka. On the way there, he was tortured with electricity, forcing him to sign a confession of working for the Ukrainian security services. Marchenko's defence filed an application about the use of torture to the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee, but received no response.
Immediately after that Marchenko was arrested several times in a row on administrative articles, he served the arrests in the Sakharovo detention centre for foreign citizens. On 2nd of August he was sentenced to 15 days under the article on petty hooliganism (part 2 of article 20.1 of the Administrative Code). According to the published court decision, Marchenko was swearing in the street and refused to show his passport to the police.
Immediately after the end of the first arrest, on August 17th, the teacher was again arrested for 15 days, this time under Part 1 of the same article. Marchenko was sentenced to a third arrest - 10 days - on September 2nd. In both cases, he was again allegedly swearing in a public place, this time near the Centre for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
On September 11th 2024, the man was again detained at the exit from the detention center for foreign citizens and taken to an unknown location. Later it turned out that he was taken to the State Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee. The next day Marchenko was taken into custody on charges of committing a terrorist act. In March 2025, TASS reported that, according to the case materials, Marchenko gave the coordinates of the airfield in Kursk to the AFU for strikes on it. Later it was reported that Marchenko was also accused of coordinating other strikes on Kursk, as well as on the Rostov region. It was alleged that his case was merged with the case of attacks on Rostov region in 2022, opened on February 19, 2022, under the articles on the organisation of mass murder in a generally dangerous manner by an organised group, attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer, illegal border crossing by an organised group, deliberate destruction of property motivated by hatred or enmity and commission of a terrorist act by an organised group with serious consequences (Marchenko was charged only with the latter article).
On 12th of August 2025, Marchenko was sentenced to 16 years in a strict regime colony.
In March 2026, it became known that a case of high treason was opened against Marchenko.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 205 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.