In the Volgograd region of Russia, Dmitry Vanifatyev, a resident of the city of Volzhsky, has been found guilty of repeated discrediting of the Russian army and sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence. The Volzhsky City Court also banned him from administering any websites, forums, chat groups, or online channels for three years.
The case originated with a comment Vanifatyev posted in the VKontakte group "Zhest Volzhsky." In court, he explained that the comment was made while he was intoxicated and in a depressed, irrational state. He stated that he believed at the time that a change in the political regime could bring positive change to the country. The court, however, did not make the specific content of the comment public.
This wasn't Vanifatyev’s first legal trouble. In January 2024, he was fined under the administrative article for discrediting the army (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). Then in October, he received another fine — this time for insulting government authorities online (Article 20.1, part 3). The basis for this was several critical posts about President Vladimir Putin in his private Telegram channel, which had only 15 subscribers and was accessible by invitation only.
Vanifatyev claimed he created the channel for personal reasons — to write about rock concerts, his purchases, and his political thoughts. After being contacted by the police, he voluntarily deleted the channel. The court documents do not reveal the content of the comments or posts that led to his charges.
According to the human rights group OVD-Info, the criminal case was submitted to court on May 7, 2025, and a verdict was delivered on June 5. It remains unclear which specific actions were considered criminal, as court documents provide no detailed evidence.
Vanifatyev is reportedly a fishing lure maker by profession — an occupation far from politics. However, his limited online activity drew the attention of law enforcement.
Since March 4, 2022, Russia has enforced laws punishing the "discrediting" of the military, initially with administrative fines. Repeated violations, however, now lead to criminal charges under Article 280.3 of the Russian Criminal Code, carrying up to five years in prison. Numerous similar cases have been reported across southern and North Caucasus regions of Russia — most often for online posts.
Conclusion
Dmitry Vanifatyev’s case illustrates how even minor, emotional comments on social media can have severe legal consequences in modern Russia. With no public evidence of his so-called crimes, a private Telegram channel, and a confession possibly made under pressure, his conviction appears to follow the pattern of politically motivated prosecutions. In today’s Russia, even a handful of followers can make you a target if your opinions go against the official narrative.
O.Ivanenko
