Russia sentences comedian to almost six years in prison for joke

According to the agency Reutersthe conviction was handed down by a Moscow court after the circulation, on social networks and vehicles aligned with the Kremlin, of the video in which Ostanin makes reference to a former Russian soldier who lost his legs in combat on Ukrainian soil. The repercussion of the content led to public denunciations by nationalists and pro-war bloggers, who pressured the authorities for punishment against the comedian.

According to the sentence, in addition to the prison sentence, the comedian was also fined around 300,000 rubles (approximately US$3,900 at current prices). Ostanin, 29, denied that the joke was aimed at veterans of the so-called “special military operation” – a term officially used by Moscow to refer to the invasion of Ukraine. In his final statement to the court, the comedian said he hoped that “no one will ever go through the same situation of legal abuse” that he faced.

The conviction comes amid the tightening of Russian laws against criticism of the invasion of Ukraine. Since 2022, Vladimir Putin’s regime has enacted laws that criminalize public demonstrations considered “offensive” to the Armed Forces or contrary to the official narrative of the conflict, resulting in arrests and harsh sentences against artists, journalists and activists, according to international press reports.