Vadim Shtepa
Vadim Shtepa, born 1970. Charges: Article 205.4 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code (Organisation of a terrorist community and participation in it); “Vadim Shtepa's case”. Status: not in Russia.
In brief
Journalists · Terrorism cases, Cases against "foreign agents"
Sentence
No information about a verdict.
Charges
- Article 205.4 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Organisation of a terrorist community and participation in it
Latest event
March 13, 2026 — added to the register of “foreign agents”
Timeline
· Added to the register of “foreign agents”
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Vadim Shtepa's case
Criminal case
Vadim Shtepa's case
Details and sources
Full summary
Editor-in-chief of the magazine "Region.Expert" and a columnist for "Radio Liberty". He left Russia in 2015 following threats from law enforcement and comments by the then-head of Karelia, Aleksandr Khudilainen, who stated that Shtepa "would have no freedom" in the republic.
In 2024, the journalist was fined 5,000 roubles under an administrative protocol for participating in the activities of an "undesirable organisation" (Article 20.33 of the Code of Administrative Offences). The protocol was based on the journalist's appearance at a press conference for the "Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum" — an organisation that had been declared "undesirable" in the spring of 2023.
In May 2025, it was revealed that a criminal case had been initiated against Shtepa for participating in the activities of a terrorist community.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.4 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.