Maksim Zelenov
Maksim Zelenov, born 1981, Krasnoyarsk Krai. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 items b, g, d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); “Former "Wagner Group" members' case of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces and volunteer organisations”. Sentence (February 24, 2025): 5 years 6 months' imprisonment with the sentence to be served in a general regime corrective labour colony, compulsory… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since March 12, 2024; place of detention: Pre-trial detention unit, Krasnoyarsk Krai.
In brief
Krasnoyarsk Krai · Minusinsk · Former military personnel · Anti-war cases
Sentence
5 years 6 months
imprisonment with the sentence to be served in a general regime corrective labour colony, compulsory medical measure in the form of compulsory observation and treatment by a psychiatrist on an out-patient basis
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 207.3 part 2 items b, g, d, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries (using an official position, a group of individuals, falsification of evidence, for selfish motives, or out of hatred)
Full wording of the charges
The reason for the case was the interview of Zelenov and Aleksei Cherniavskii with the Gulagu.net project, in which they said that they had seen "Russians beating, torturing and even shooting Russians, as well as war crimes and massacres of civilians in Ukraine". According to the investigation, he misled people about the legality of the actions of volunteer organisations that help the Russian Armed Forces in carrying out military operations in Ukraine, made the Russian Armed Forces look like violators of international law and undermined their authority in the eyes of the entire Russian society.
Latest event
February 24, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 5 years 6 months.
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 5 years 6 months
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Persecution begins
Former "Wagner Group" members' case of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces and volunteer organisations
Criminal case
Former "Wagner Group" members' case of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces and volunteer organisations
- Case number
- 1-486/2024
Other defendants in the case
- Aleksei Cherniavskii — Imprisoned, 5 years 6 months
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Write a letter
Facility: Pre-trial detention unit, Krasnoyarsk Krai
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
662606, Красноярский край, г. Минусинск, ул. Горького, 11, ПФРСИ при ФКУ Т ГУФСИН России по Красноярскому краю, Зеленов Максим Викторович, 1981 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Former prisoner, served his sentence in a colony in Irkutsk Oblast, joined the Wagner group on 24 November 2022. Escaped from the training camp. In June 2023, together with another escaped former mercenary, told in an interview with the Gulagu.net project about the crimes of the Russian military personnel, to which he was a witness. A case of dissemination of knowingly false information about the Armed Forces by a group of persons for personal gain with a hate motive was initiated against both of them. Presumably in March 2024, the court decided to take Zelenov into custody. On 24 February 2025, he was sentenced to five and a half years in a general regime penal colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 items b, g, d, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.