Mikhail Alferov

Mikhail Alferov is an opposition blogger from the Kemerovo region, author of the YouTube channel "enemy of pig dogs", where he posts videos about freedom of assembly in the region, corruption and the work of law enforcers.

Due to his activism, the blogger has repeatedly faced pressure from the authorities.

In June 2019, while serving an administrative arrest, the blogger learnt that a case was opened against him under the article on inflicting moderate harm to health with the use of weapons. The statement against him was written by an employee of the management company: she claimed that Alferov allegedly sprayed her with pepper spray. According to Alferov, the spray can could have been planted on him by an employee of the Centre "E", and the case itself is connected with his visit to the deputy governor.

In July 2019, a case of insulting a judge was brought against Alferov. Then once again they tried to bring him to trial for evading community service, after which, according to the investigation, he called the judge Kirill Bolotov, who appointed him administrative arrest, a "creature". On 11 June 2020, the court dismissed the case.

In April and June 2020, cases were brought against Alferov for insulting a representative of the authorities, both because of the videos containing derogatory remarks about police officer N. Evdokimova, who later moved to work at the Centre for Combating Extremism, who had previously drawn up administrative protocols against Alferov and, as he believes, prepared materials for a criminal case on insulting a judge. In July 2020, a case on the rehabilitation of Nazism was initiated because of a video where Alferov discusses the use of 9 May symbols in modern Russia. These three cases were merged into one. On 18 November 2021, Alferov was sentenced to 470 hours of community service.

In July 2021, a case of incitement to hatred against the social groups "law enforcement" and "judicial authorities" was brought against Alferov because of a video he recorded in connection with Alexei Navalny's return to Russia. Alferov was detained on 5 July and placed under house arrest on 9 July. On 30 December, he was released on recognisance not to leave. In March 2023, the court returned the case to the prosecutor's office.

On 15 August 2023, Alferov was detained again. On 18 August, the court sent him under house arrest on a new case of incitement to hatred, use of violence against a representative of the authorities and defamation of a judge.

In April 2024, Alferov, allegedly as a result of pressure from the investigating authorities, went to war with Ukraine. In January 2025, it became known that he had died.