Russian Telegram Channel Administrator Sentenced to 8.5 Years for Spreading False Information

The Russian Federation's court has sentenced Dmitry Ivanov, the administrator of the Telegram channel 'Протестный МГУ', to 8.5 years in prison for publishing "false information about the military." Ivanov has pleaded not guilty.

It should be noted that the State Duma has adopted a bill that imposes criminal penalties and hefty fines for disseminating false information that discredits the Russian military and calls for sanctions against Russia.

According to the law, the prison sentence for such offenses can be up to 15 years, which will apply if the disseminated false information about the special military operation in Russia leads to serious consequences.

Recall that on the morning of February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special military operation for the demilitarization of Ukraine. In a television address, he stated that the circumstances "demand decisive and immediate actions from us, as the people’s republics of Donbas have appealed to Russia for assistance."