Yabloko Deputy Krukov Sentenced to 7 Years for Ukraine Posts
Maxim Krukov, deputy chairman of the Yabloko party and former Moscow City Duma deputy, was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Zamoskvoretsky Court in Moscow for two posts in 2022 about events in Bucha and Mariupol, which authorities claimed spread false information about the Russian military. The Moscow City Court upheld the verdict on appeal.
Consensus
- Maxim Krukov was sentenced to seven years in prison
- The sentence was handed down by the Zamoskvoretsky Court in Moscow
- The conviction was based on two posts published in 2022 in a Telegram channel
- The posts concerned events in Bucha and Mariupol during the Russian military operation in Ukraine
- The Moscow City Court upheld the original verdict on appeal
- The case involved allegations of spreading false information about the Russian Armed Forces
- Krukov did not admit guilt
- The trial was held in closed session
- Krukov was previously a deputy in the Moscow City Duma and led the Yabloko faction from 2019 to 2024
- Krukov was detained on October 1, 2025
Points of divergence
- The defense argued that Krukov based his posts on specific sources, including a UN Human Rights Office report, and that access to the report was not restricted in Russia — kommerant
- The defense challenged the prosecution's claim that Krukov's criminal intent arose as early as March 17, 2020, noting that Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code was only introduced in March 2022 — kommerant
- The defense argued that the court's adjustment of the date of criminal intent to April 2, 2022, was self-initiated by the first-instance court — kommerant
- The defense requested that Krukov be acquitted, arguing that his criticism of state decisions is part of legitimate political activity — vedomosti
- The defense contested the court's finding that Krukov acted out of political hatred — vedomosti
- Krukov was charged with spreading fake information about the Russian military during the special military operation in Ukraine — vm
- Krukov was banned from administering websites for three years — vm
- The BBC reported that the case was framed as a 'ban on dissent' — tg_bbcrussian
- Krukov was accused of spreading military 'fake news' in two posts published shortly after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine — tg_astrapress
- Krukov is listed as a terrorist and extremist — tg_tass_agency
Coverage (6 sources)
- Deputy of the 'Yabloko' Maxim Krukhlov sentenced to 7 years in a colony for two posts about Ukraine According to 'Media Zone'. — ASTRA
- Moscow court sentenced former Moscow City Duma deputy Kругlov* to 7 years on charges of spreading fake news about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, reports... — ТАСС (Telegram)
- Court left unchanged the sentence for fake news about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, deputy chairman of the 'Yabloko' Kруглов — Коммерсантъ
- Moscow City Court approved the verdict for deputy head of 'Yabloko' Kruglova — Ведомости
- Case of former 'Yabloko' party deputy Kруглов*: ruling of the Moscow City Court — Вечерняя Москва
- «Ban on Dissent». Deputy Chairman of the «Yabloko» Party Maxim Krukov sentenced to seven years for two posts — BBC News Русская служба
Key entities
- Maxim Kruglov
- Apple
- Russia
- Moscow City Duma
- VS
- Moscow
- Moscow City Court
- Ukraine
- Moscow City Court
- Zamoskvoretsky Court
- Mediasphere
- Court
- TASS
- Moscow
- Sergey Badamshin