Russian film critic and Republic contributor Yekaterina Barabash has been arrested in Moscow on charges of disseminating “deliberately false information” about the country’s armed forces.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, which handles major criminal cases, Barabash was investigated, formally charged, and fully admitted guilt during interrogation.
Independent reports indicate that Barabash was detained at the border upon her return to Russia on Sunday after attending the Berlinale film festival. The independent outlet Sota, citing a Republic employee, reported that she had faced prolonged questioning at border control multiple times in recent months.
“She landed in Moscow on Sunday and spent three hours at border control, something that had become routine after each of her recent crossings. By Tuesday, she was already under arrest,” the source said.
On the day of her arrest, Republic published an article by Barabash discussing Russian director Konstantin Bogomolov’s potential plans to stage a play about President Vladimir Putin’s “victories.” In her piece, she referred to Bogomolov—who is married to Russian media personality Ksenia Sobchak—as one of the creative community’s most adept “flip-floppers,” noting his gradual but steady shift from opposition circles to pro-government support.
Barabash, the daughter of prominent Soviet and Russian literary critic Yuri Barabash, has contributed to various Russian media outlets, including Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Forbes, and Interfax. In 2016, she claimed to have been dismissed from Interfax due to her criticism of the authorities.
