Aleksei Smirnov
Aleksei Smirnov, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Charges: Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries); “Aleksei Smirnov's case of discrediting the Russian army”. Sentence (July 17, 2025): 6 months' suspended imprisonment and a ban on administering websites, forums, chats, and social media groups for 2.5… Status: at large.
In brief
Sentence
6 months
suspended imprisonment and a ban on administering websites, forums, chats, and social media groups for 2.5 years
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries
Full wording of the charges
The details of the case are unknown. In February 2024, Smirnov was fined 30,000 rubles in an administrative case for discrediting the singer Shaman's work by comparing it to Nazi propaganda.
Latest event
July 17, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 6 months.
Criminal case
Aleksei Smirnov's case of discrediting the Russian army
- Case number
- 1-354/2025
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Nefteyugansk. In June 2025, a case was brought to court against him under the article on repeated discreditation of the army. On 17th of July, he was given a six-month suspended sentence. The reason for the prosecution were the posts that Smirnov made on his social media accounts from February to August 2024. Their content is unknown.
In February 2024, Smirnov was fined 30,000 rubles in an administrative case for discrediting the army because of a comment he made on "VKontakte" under a post about Shaman's song "My Boy". In it, he compared the singer to German Nazis:
"He has a voice, but stupid, don't make me laugh by saying a patriot was found. (He is) a paid propagandist pushing the red button to agitate the crowd. Are you all crazy? The Nazis had exactly the same white boy singing on stage inspiring the Aryans to go to war under the guise of good intentions. But war is not good. War is death of loved ones and tears of the living. And with letters (other data) the Nazis had the same thing. The thirst for war, that's what is being awaken in you here".
After being detained in an administrative case, Smirnov said he was against the war and_ in this way, he expressed his active civic stance on the situation in the country as a whole. He added that he considered all the words in his comment as completely correct.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.