Russian court jails two men for urging attacks on migrants

A court in Kostroma has sentenced two young Russian men for urging attacks on migrants.

The 22-year-old from the Moscow region and the 19-year-old from the Rostov region were handed prison terms of seven years and two-and-a-half years, respectively, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Both will serve their sentences in a standard regime colony.

According to Olga Vakurova, senior assistant to the head of the Investigative Committee in Kostroma region, the pair were found guilty of calls to attack migrants and public officials, as well as making false reports about planned terrorist acts in Kostroma.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) said the men ran a Telegram channel encouraging mass attacks on foreigners and government employees. In 2023, they also sent false emails claiming buildings in Kostroma had been rigged with explosives.

Earlier, a 33-year-old man from Vladimir was sentenced to three and a half years in a penal colony for encouraging sabotage against Russian forces in an online chat.

Investigators said he posted messages from home and work justifying terrorism and calling for attacks. He admitted the offences and was convicted under Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code, covering public calls for terrorism.

The man had a prior criminal record, including convictions for extremist violence, hooliganism, and fraud. He had also used social media to advocate for killing Russian soldiers.

By Aghakazim Guliyev