Dmitry Skurikhin

An entrepreneur from the Leningrad region. He has a grocery shop, which he has painted with anti-war slogans and the names of Ukrainian cities that have suffered from Russian shelling. In April, unknown people left the inscription "Traitor" on the doors of the shop, pasted a leaflet "Nazism will not be forgiven", and threw manure on the porch. On 23 September 2022 Skurikhin's house was searched. The lawyer signed a non-disclosure agreement. Later it became known that the reason for bringing a criminal case against Skurikhin for discrediting the use of the Russian Armed Forces was an anti-mobilisation poster placed on the facade of Skurikhin's shop in Russko-Vysotsky on 21 September. It was removed by police officers (probably after drawing up an offence report). Presumably, because of the poster they first initiated an administrative case under a similar article (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). The case was immediately dropped and a criminal case was immediately initiated, since in May Skurikhin had already been fined under the administrative article on defamation because of an anti-war video in his Telegram channel. The reason for the case was an anti-war post in Telegram and photos of anti-war inscriptions on a shop. On 25 September, the court ordered Skurikhin to ban certain actions. In December, Skurikhin was searched, along with St. Petersburg resident Anastasia Makarova, who claims she does not know him.

On the anniversary of the start of the war, 24 February 2023, the media circulated a photograph of Skurikhin kneeling in front of his shop with a placard reading "Forgive Ukraine". Later, police officers arrived at the house where the family was celebrating his parents' wedding anniversary. They questioned Skurikhin and left. After the celebration, the relatives took Skurikhin to another place, with a police car following them. When the relatives returned, the police officers told them that they had taken Skurikhin away for nothing, as it could provoke searches and tighten restrictions. On 26 February it became known that Skurikhin was detained, after which the court sent him to custody on a new criminal case of discrediting the Armed Forces over the action with the poster. On 21 April, he was transferred to house arrest. The cases were merged, the circumstances were considered one continuous episode. On 3 August 2023, Skurikhin was sentenced to one and a half years in a general regime colony. On 26 July 2024, Skurikhin was released.