Natalia Taranushenko
Natalia Taranushenko, born 1959, Moscow Oblast. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 items a, d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); “Natalia Taranushenko's case of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces”. Sentence (June 23, 2025): 7 years' imprisonment in absentia with deprivation of the right to engage in pedagogical activities for a period of 3… Status: not in Russia.
In brief
Moscow Oblast · NULL · Teachers · Anti-war cases
Sentence
7 years
imprisonment in absentia with deprivation of the right to engage in pedagogical activities for a period of 3 years
Upheld August 28, 2025
Charges
- Article 207.3 part 2 items a, d, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries (by the abuse of an official position, by a group of individuals, with falsification of evidence, for personal gain or motivated by hatred)
Full wording of the charges
According to the court's version, Taranushenko N.A., being a teacher of Russian language and literature, as well as a class teacher of the 8th grade of MBOU "Secondary Educational School No. 1" of Protvino, Moscow region, on 15.04.2022, conducting for the 8th grade students a thematic class hour on civic and patriotic education of minors "Good deed. Let's help the people of Donbass!", expressed knowingly false information about the actions of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation against the civilian population of Ukraine in the form of statements of facts and events, namely: in the town of Bucha, Kiev region, the Russian military destroyed the civilian population, as well as demonstrated videos with the titles "Diary from Mariupol" and "Distribution of humanitarian aid in Berdyansk". At the same time, according to the official information of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, the information about targeted strikes by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to destroy civilian infrastructure, including a maternity hospital and a hospital in Mariupol, residential houses in Kyiv and Kyiv region, the cities of Zaporizhzhya, Dnipro and other settlements of Ukraine; to destroy the civilian population, including children, as well as foreign citizens not taking part in the hostilities, is false and not reliable.
Latest event
August 28, 2025 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 7 years
· Persecution begins
Natalia Taranushenko's case of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces
Criminal case
Natalia Taranushenko's case of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 1-395/2025
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
A teacher of Russian language and literature at secondary educational school No. 1 in Protvino (Moscow Region). In June 2024, it became known that a case was opened against her for spreading deliberately false information about the Russian Armed Forces: according to the investigation, she showed her pupils a video with footage of the invasion of Ukraine. Later it was reported that she left Russia. On 13 July 2024, Taranushenko was detained in Armenia at the airport before departure. She was released under an obligation to appear. On 23 June 2025, Taranushenko was sentenced in absentia to seven years in a general regime colony with a three-year ban on teaching.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 items a, d, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.