A criminal case has been opened against Viktor Moskalev, an employee of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, under the article about spreading “fake news” about the Russian military “motivated by hatred or ‘enmity’ (clause “d” part 2 of article 207.3 of the Criminal Code), reports OVD-Info referring to lawyer Yulia Tregubova.
The reason for the affair was two comments by Moskalev on the e-xecutive.ru site, published on April 9. The first contains information that Russian troops razed the city of Mariupol, shelled Chernihiv, Kharkov and kyiv, do not hold ceremonies with civilians. The second, among other things, mentions that Russian soldiers stole televisions, video cards, raped and killed Ukrainian girls.
On March 28, a search was carried out at Moskalev’s home, during which all equipment was seized. On March 30, the Babushkinsky District Court of Moscow allowed the arrest of an MIPT employee until May 22.
MIPT press office reported RIA Novosti that Moskalev holds the position of project manager at the center of scientific and technical initiatives in the direction of “Mobile energy storage technologies”. Moskalev, the press service said, was engaged in the “development of civil subjects”, his colleagues “positively characterize”, he does not have access to state secrets.
Articles on “forgery” about the Russian army and “discrediting” the Russian armed forces were added to the Russian Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses after the start of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. In criminal cases initiated under these articles, Russian courts are sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.