MOSCOW: Russian authorities have levied criminal charges against journalist Mikhail Zygar for disseminating “fake news” regarding the Russian military, as reported by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency on Wednesday, citing a source in law enforcement.
According to the Baza Telegram channel, which is purportedly linked to Russian law enforcement, Zygar is accused of spreading false information on social media about atrocities committed by the Russian army in the Ukrainian city of Bucha.
Bucha, situated west of Kyiv, fell under Russian occupation shortly after Moscow’s troops entered Ukraine in early 2022. Ukrainian authorities claim that over 450 people were massacred during the Russian occupation.
Moscow refutes allegations of its army’s involvement in atrocities against the civilian population of Bucha, instead accusing Kyiv and its Western allies of fabricating the scenes.
If convicted, Zygar, presently residing outside of Russia, could face a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Zygar, a former editor-in-chief of the independent broadcaster Dozhd, was designated as a “foreign agent” by Russia in 2022.
Since the commencement of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian authorities have initiated at least 297 criminal cases for disseminating “fakes” regarding the war, according to the independent rights watchdog OVD-Info.
