A Record Not Worth Bragging About

On September 13, Novaya Gazeta Evropa revealed that 2024 broke the record for most people added to Russia's register of terrorists and extremists. Among them were 93 minors, 20 of whom were under 16 years old.

In 2001, Rosfinmonitoring, a government entity created by President Vladimir Putin to monitor domestic and international financial transactions, established the "terrorists and extremists" list. Since the start of Russia's War on Ukraine, the FSB began classifying property damage as "terrorism." As shown in Novaya Gazeta Evropa's report, the number of underage persons declared "terrorists" skyrocketed after 2022. 

In February 2024, the youngest person ever declared a terrorist became Yegor Lauskis. The then 14-year-old from St. Petersburg was taken to prison in the summer of 2023 after allegedly setting a relay box on fire following "orders from the Ukrainians."

Lauskis did not hold the title of "youngest terrorist" for long. This summer, 14-year-olds Aimir Yukteshev from Khakassia and Gleb Synitsin from Ivanovo were also included in the registry. The alleged crimes of these teenagers are still unknown. The only information available is that Yukteshev liked songs from pro-Kremlin singers on VKontakte. 

Teenagers who oppose the Kremlin have also been arrested and investigated for "terrorism." Novaya Gazeta Evropa estimated that 78 adolescents have been detained due to their anti-war views.

Currently, there are 15,446 individuals and 611 organizations on Russia's terrorist list. In 2024, Rosfinmonitoring declared 2,097 persons to be "terrorists and extremists." On average, 284 names were added per month in 2024, almost twice the rate of 2023 and 2022. The "terrorists and extremists" include Yulia Navalnaya, actor Alexey Penin, TV presenter Tatyana Lazareva, director Zhenya Berkovich, dramaturg Svetlana Petrychuk, and the nonexistent "international public LGBT movement."

Over the last six years, over 3000 people hae been removed from the list. But it is no easy task. In order to no longer be considered a "terrorist," one's criminal cases must be dismissed and their sentences overturned. Even after being found dead in his cell in February, Alexey Navalny is still on Rosfinmonitoring's infamous roster.