In August, it became known about 219 sentences and 236 convicted in political cases in Russia, calculated by The Insider* together with a data-analytical center headed by Kirill Parubets. At least 88 people received actual prison terms.
Among them, 28 people were convicted under serious articles on terrorism, sabotage activities, and treason.
The longest sentences — 18 years of imprisonment — were given to 26-year-old resident of the Altai region Vitaly Pirogov, who threw three Molotov cocktails at a military enlistment office building in Rubtsovsk, 18-year-old resident of occupied Melitopol Darya Kulik, who photographed the FSB building and bought components for making a Molotov cocktail, as well as 45-year-old Vitaly Grechishnik, who was accused of transmitting coordinates of a fuel and energy complex facility and the position of air defense systems.
In August, 39 Ukrainian prisoners of war were sentenced to actual prison terms, who were tried under "terrorist articles." 27 of them were captured in the Kursk region and were essentially convicted for crossing the border with Russia.
The total number of convicted Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen who participated in battles in the Kursk region has already exceeded 300 people. At the same time, as noted by the human rights project "Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial"**, this is about persecution for the very fact of serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which violates the Geneva Convention.
Additionally, last month 21 people received actual prison terms for words, "desecration of symbols of military glory," and connections with "undesirable" and "extremist" organizations.
For instance, on August 5, a resident of Murom was sentenced to 7 years in a general regime colony in a case about "fakes" about the Russian army and "justification of terrorism." According to the investigation, from September 2022 to January 2023, he posted on social networks publications calling for violence against representatives of the authorities and the military, as well as materials in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Additionally, the accusation claimed that he published at least 11 messages about the actions of Russian military in the combat zone, which were considered deliberately false. The case was initiated only in February 2025, and at that time the man was taken into custody.
* Recognized in Russia as a "foreign agent" and "undesirable" organization.
** Recognized in Russia as a "foreign agent."