Bogdan Yakimenko (Max Vertzinsky)
Bogdan Yakimenko (Max Vertzinsky), born 1999, Moscow. Charges: Article 213 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Hooliganism (group, with weapons, or against a government official)); Article 282.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Creation and leadership of an extremist community); “Antifa United case”, opened on June 5, 2024. Sentence (February 2, 2026): 9 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony; previously convicted under Article 115 part 2 item b, Russian Criminal Code; Article 115 part 2 items a, v, Russian Criminal Code; Article 213 part 2, Russian Criminal Code. Status: imprisoned.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Extremism cases
Sentence
9 years
imprisonment in a general regime colony
No information about an appeal ruling.
Other verdicts
- September 15, 2021 — Imprisonment (details unknown)
Charges
- Article 213 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Hooliganism (group, with weapons, or against a government official)
- Article 282.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Creation and leadership of an extremist community
- Article 115 part 2 item b, Russian Criminal Code — Intentional infliction of minor harm to health, causing a short-term health disorder out of political, ideological, racial, national, or religious hatred or enmity, or hatred or enmity towards any social group.
- Article 115 part 2 items a, v, Russian Criminal Code — Intentional Infliction of Minor Harm to Health out of hooligan motives with the use of weapons or items used as weapons.
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, the anti-fascists created a community on a social network no later than June 20th, 2020. In this public group, they allegedly "engaged in recruiting individuals, including minors," and "planned crimes motivated by hatred towards law enforcement officers". Yakimenko was identified as the leader of this community.
Latest event
February 2, 2026 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 9 years.
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 9 years
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Criminal case opened
Antifa United case
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Persecution begins
The case of anti-fascists Yakimenko and Ivanov
Criminal case
The case of anti-fascists Yakimenko and Ivanov
- Case number
- 01-0076/2023
Other defendants in the case
- Mikhail Ivanov — At large
Antifa United case
Other defendants in the case
- Matvey Ostrovsky — Deceased
- Ilia Popov — Imprisoned, 3 years
- Roman Chizhikov — Imprisoned, 3 years 6 months
Write a letter
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
107076, г.Москва, ул. Матросская Тишина, дом 18, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН России по г. Москве ("Матросская тишина"), Якименко Богдан Тарасович, 1999 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
He is known among anti-fascists under the pseudonym Max Vertzinsky. At the time of his arrest, he was a first-year student at the Faculty of Law of the South Federal University, ran the Skinheads R.A.S.H group on VKontakte, and was the creator of the non-commercial antifascist clothing merch "Antifa United".
He was detained after a fight with a group of neo-Nazis on 5 January 2020 in Moscow, along with another persecuted man, Mikhail Ivanov. Supporters claim that Yakimenko did not use any weapons during the fight. The next day, officers of the Centre "E" and the FSB came to the department. According to the detainees, they pressurised and threatened them, trying to induce them to cooperate. A case of hooliganism and battery was opened against both of them. One of the attacking neo-Nazis became a victim in the case. Yakimenko was under house arrest, then under the signature on non-departure. On 15 September 2021 Yakimenko was sentenced to imprisonment. On 27 April 2022, the court of appeal overturned the sentence. On 29 May 2023 Yakimenko was sentenced to four years of forced labour.
Yakimenko attributes the attention from Centre "E" and the FSB to his own anti-fascist activism.
On 5 June 2024, he was detained in Rostov-on-Don on a case of creating an extremist community and taken to Moscow. Telegram channel Antifa ru wrote that Yakimenko was tortured with electric shocks, demanding that he refuse the services of a lawyer and stay in touch with human rights activists. On 10 June Yakimenko was sent to the pre-trial detention centre. Later it was reported that he was also charged with hooliganism, the details are unknown.
On 26 September 2024, the court of appeal cancelled the verdict in the first case. A new sentence was passed on 18 August 2025, details are unknown.
On 1 December 2025 Yakimenko was brought to court in the extremist community case with a broken arm.
On 2 February 2026 Yakimenko was sentenced to nine years in a general regime colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Persecution episodes
- 2
Other people prosecuted under Article 115 part 2 item b, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.