September 03, 2024

Another Russian Teenager Sentenced


Another Russian Teenager Sentenced
A penitential center in Moscow.  Senate of Russian Federation, Flickr.

In Khabarovsk Krai, a 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to 4.5 years in a correctional colony for participating in a "terrorist organization."

According to the independent publication Mediazona, the case against the boy was based on his correspondence with a secret witness and a video filmed by the same witness, which shows teenagers throwing a Molotov cocktail at the wall of an abandoned building.

The arrest of then-14-year-old Valery Zaitsev was made public in October 2023. Zaitsev was apprehended at a tuberculosis dispensary in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, where he had been receiving treatment for several months. The prosecution alleged that Zaitsev had “sought instructions on working with explosives and preparing Molotov cocktails,” “conducted tests and prepared incendiary devices,” and “tested them in deserted locations, posting the results in a Telegram group.” Mediazona reported that his arrest may have been prompted by a video, later posted to his Telegram channel, which shows three teenagers throwing Molotov cocktails at the wall of an abandoned building.

Zaitsev’s grandmother said the teenager was deeply troubled by Russia's War on Ukraine. “He said he was against the war,” she told Mediazona. According to his grandmother, Zaitsev posted something about the war on the internet.

The trial was held behind closed doors. Zaitsev’s grandmother said a secret witness testified against her grandson, and that formed the basis of the charges. She recalled previously seeing this man during a confrontation in which she was present as her grandson’s legal representative. In court, the "witness" testified via video conference with the camera turned off, but Zaitsev’s grandmother recognized his voice. She believes her grandson was “provoked” and “set up.”

Zaitsev’s grandmother also claimed a provocateur filmed the video featuring the Molotov cocktail. “The provocateurs brought this gasoline, showed how to do everything, and Valery posted it,” she told the journalist. She suspects this provocateur may have been working for the FSB.

The case of Valery Zaitsev is not the first in which FSB-affiliated provocateurs have been mentioned. In particular, an FSB provocateur was involved in the case of Valeria Zotova, who was accused of attempting to set fire to a government building.

Zaitsev is also not the only Russian teenager with anti-war views to be imprisoned. According to journalists from Novaya Gazeta Evropa, at least nine teenagers who spoke out against the war are currently serving sentences in correctional colonies, with sentences ranging from 3.5 to 6 years.

You Might Also Like

Fabricating a Terrorist
  • August 28, 2024

Fabricating a Terrorist

A Ukrainian refugee in Russia received threatening messages from a Telegram account. Then she was arrested for terrorism.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955