Evgenii Pinchuk (hieromonk Nikandr)
- Criminal Code
- Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal CodeArticle 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
- Case category
- Anti-war casesTerrorism cases
- Verdict
- Imprisonment (general regime), Fine
- Sentence
- 5 years 6 months
- Date of verdict
- 2022-10-17
- Region
- Sverdlovsk Oblast
- City
- Verkhoturye
- Address for letters
- 623850, Свердловская обл., г. Ирбит, ул. Кирова, д.29а, ФКУ СИЗО-2 ГУФСИН России по Свердловской области, Пинчук Евгений Игоревич, 1971 г.р.
Case summary
A clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Of Russia under the omophorion of Metropolitan Agafangel (a breakaway church that does not recognise the authority of the Moscow Patriarchate). In June 2022, a case was brought against Nikandr for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces because he called the actions of the Russian military "an invasion". On 17 October 2022, he was sentenced to a fine of 100,000 rubles.
On 17 October 2025, Nikandr was taken into custody on a criminal case on public justification of terrorism. He called the founder of the Russian Volunteer Corps, Denis Nikitin, "a cool guy" and expressed "respect" to him. On 10 March 2026, the cleric was sentenced to five and a half years in a general regime colony.
Others charged under Article 205.2 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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