On Thursday, a Moscow court sentenced 59-year-old nurse Olga Menshikh to eight years in prison for posting anti-war content on social media.
She was accused of disseminating “fake” information about the Russian military through two VKontakte posts that criticized Russian airstrikes on Vinnytsia, Ukraine, which resulted in the deaths of 28 people in July 2022, as well as the mass atrocities committed by Russian troops against civilians in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv.
Menshikh denied the charges against her, with Mediazona reporting that she had only 15 followers on her account, raising questions about its security and suggesting it may have been compromised.
Despite her defense, the Dorogomilovsky District Court in Moscow found her guilty of spreading “fake news” about the military’s actions abroad, leading to her lengthy prison sentence in a colony.
Prior to her conviction, Menshikh worked as an anesthetic nurse at the Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center, where she reportedly treated Russian soldiers injured in Ukraine. She had previously faced multiple administrative arrests and fines due to her anti-war posts and her support for the late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
Since Russia launched its “special military operation” in Ukraine in 2022, the government has intensified its crackdown on anti-war protests, independent journalism, and dissenting voices on social media platforms.
This case highlights the increasing risks faced by individuals in Russia who speak out against the war, as authorities seek to silence opposition and control the narrative surrounding the conflict. The harsh sentencing of Menshikh serves as a stark reminder of the broader implications for free expression in the country.
