Nikolay Yuriev

Resident of Novouralsk (Sverdlovsk region). He worked as a cook in a vegan cafe in Yekaterinburg and at a metal-receiving point. He said that at a meeting of supporters of the "Citizens of the USSR" movement, he met three Rosgvardiya officers, who began to persuade him to take part in the arson attack on the military recruitment centre in order to "help conscripts". Yuriev claims that he did not want to participate, but then agreed - first to make "Molotov cocktails" for them, then to go with them to the military recruitment centre. On the 5th of February, 2023, when Yuryev and one of the Rosgvardiya officers drove up to the military enlistment office, the latter began to persuade him to set the building on fire. Yuriev, according to his own words, refused and asked the Rosgvardiya officer to drive back. The man allegedly pretended that his engine had stalled, after which Yuryev was detained. During the detention, he admitted that he was going to set the military recruitment centre on fire, but later retracted his statement. According to "The First Department", Yuryev's friend Anton Prokofiev said that the investigator persuaded him to incriminate Yuryev and claim that he had asked Prokofiev to supply him with firearms. Yuryev was accused of preparing to commit a terrorist act, training for terrorist activities and assisting terrorist activities. He was taken into custody. The Rosgvardiya officers were witnesses in the case. Yuriev was also accused of preparing to seize power in several cities and "overthrow the constitutional order." On 19th of December 2023, Yuryev was sentenced to 18 years in a strict regime penal colony.