Police charge Russian municipal deputy for ‘discrediting Russian army’ over a post quoting the Pope’s prayer for Ukraine

Police filed charges against Moscow municipal deputy Konstantin Yankauskas for “discrediting the Russian army” over a VK post in which he quoted the Pope’s prayer for Ukraine, the politician wrote on Facebook.

The post in question was published on 14 March. In the quote, the Pope says that the murder of children and innocent civilians is unacceptable and that Mariupol has become a martyr city.

“This is a prayer by Pope Francis for peace and end of the war in Ukraine. These words were so simple and easy-to-understand for every religious person, and for every person in general, that I just quoted the whole thing. I didn’t have anything to add. I don’t even know what to say in court. How can a prayer for peace and life discredit anyone? This is absurd. This is an attempt to pass off white as black,” the deputy wrote.

The court hearing is scheduled for 26 August. Yankauskas faces a fine to the tune of 100,000–200,000 rubles (€1,700- €3,400).

In July, the local election commission of Yankauskas’s district in Moscow refused to register him for the upcoming elections due to his “involvement” in an extremist organisation. The organisation in question is Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).

Last year, Yankauskas was one of those charged under the so-called “sanitary case” for violating COVID regulations by protesting in Moscow on 23 January in support of Alexey Navalny. The charges against the deputy were later dropped.