"When will this absurd end?" Karelian pensioner "discredits" the army

Almost all his life Antonina Nikulina lives in Karelia, in a small house in the village of Yushkozero. She works as a meteorologist at the local station. Three protocols on the "discredit" of the Russian armed forces have already been drawn up on it: the reason was the publication in the VKontakte group " Karelfordia News ", as well as anti -war posts on a personal page. Now she faces a fine of up to 150 thousand rubles. On December 21, a court in Kostomuksha should take place in her case, to which it is 120 kilometers.

- From the very beginning of the war, I write about what excites me. When only Russia set foot on the territory of Ukraine, it was out of the rut for a long time. I was in such a terrible shock. Then depression began, tears poured every day. I watched the videos in YouTube, read a lot of news. In the end, my daughter could not stand it (she lives in St. Petersburg) and she managed to buy tickets for Georgia, ”says 64-year-old Antonina Nikulina . - We flew away for a while, and then returned: it helped us at least a little reboot and start living in a new reality.

Yushkozero, where Nikulin lives, the ancient Karelian village, some researchers believe that she is several hundred years old. Previously, different parts of the village had their own names: Irkonniemi, čola, čolanpiä, ylipiänsuari, makarien sugari, vanha joki, kuokansuo, joučianlampi, but over time they were forgotten, and now they resemble seven streets. To the nearest district center - more than 100 kilometers. And trains do not go there every day. Previously, about 1000 people lived in the village, today less than 400 remain, people continue to leave - who to work, who to study. The children of Antonina left.

The weather station, at which Antonina has been working for almost 40 years, was built back in 1925. There she conducts research, measurements, snow -off - you can’t list all duties, Nikulin laughs.

The protocols about the offenses were handed to her by a young lieutenant - a local district police officer working in a neighboring village. It turned out that in the last, third protocol, publications with a video message of the Hedliner of the Ocean Elsi group Vladislav Vakarchuk, the appeal of Antonin herself to the commentators of the community, in which she tried to convince Karelians, explain to them that now there is a not -a -special project, but a war. The women got into these protocols and objections about how mobilization goes.

Antonina says that she simply cannot be silent.

- That's why I do not close my page. Many virtual friends wrote to me that it could be dangerous, they advised to close at least temporarily. But I wanted my voice to be heard that people see my clear position about what was happening, ”she explains.

The district police officer told her that the page was followed since mid -July. Then the commentators in the community were angry with her anti -war publications, promised to convey to the police and to ensure that they open a criminal case against her for discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. On the eve of the New Year in the same village of Yushkozero, other pensioners make "gifts" for the Russian military: small snowmen with red letters Z, one of the symbols of invasion of Ukraine.

Z-patriot-Nikulin’s fellow villages does not understand, but is not afraid either.

- You know, I have no fear. Because I feel the right, ”says Antonina. - The only thing I have left is anxiety for Ukraine. For people. I have a lot of friends from Ukraine since I started writing about the war. And interestingly, they support me. They support me, a citizen of Russia!

The youngest son does not share the beliefs of Antonina: he served in the army, studied in St. Petersburg for a military specialty. Antonin’s husband is divorced. But with my daughter a very warm relationship. Lyudmila supports her mother in every possible way, especially after drawing up the first protocol: she advises where to contact, what news to see and what to read.

At work about the protocols, nothing has been said yet, but some colleagues in personal conversations support her and want not to give up.

“I know for sure one woman who openly express anything.” But she tells me eye that we didn’t start this war and that she would not send her husband to fight. I really like it. But we have one man in a small team who says: I will better grow potatoes than to be interested in politics. This, of course, enraged me.

Moreover, we still monitor radiation at the same time, in the morning. And once, at the beginning of the war, I had very big meanings at the beginning of the war ... And just this man did not attach any importance to this, and I clogged the alarm. Then they just talked about the possible shelling at the ZAES ( Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. - SR ). I came home and immediately ran to my sister Luda to talk about it. She is also opposition views, ”recalls Antonina.

Lyudmila is Tony's cousin. She is from Belarus, she has a disability since childhood. A year ago, Luda became a citizen of Russia, her sister helped her, but no one expected such great difficulties in receiving documents.

- I hated power. As they mocked us, it was simply impossible: we were sent to the district center for disability, and the meeting took place on the day when the train does not walk. And the sister barely moves at all ... Then I just sobbed, did not know what to do.

According to Antonina, in the formation of her today's views, the sister played a big role.

- Luda is very interested in politics. And even before the war, she said that now it would be bad, and it would be even worse - well, and gave her arguments, she told the news. And somehow I didn’t really listen to her. I was a positive person before that. And somehow she did not welcome conversations about politics, everything tried to get off in silence. And the conversation in another channel flowed. After this situation, everything became different, ”recalls Antonina.

Sister supports Antonin in everything. The court of discredit cases was scheduled for December 21 in Kostomuksha, this is 120 kilometers from Yushkozer. It is very difficult to get there in winter: public transport goes once a week. Antonina faces a fine of up to 150 thousand rubles, and if others do not help her, she will have to take a loan. The salaries of the salaries are low, about 40 thousand rubles are released along with the pension.

“I have no doubt that in my publications they will find the same“ discrediting, ”says Antonina. “But you can’t even imagine how calm I am.” Because I have an awareness that this is the right thing ... And if I doubted at least a little bit, maybe I would not behave like that. But I have no doubt, I'm calm. The only thing that worries me: when will this absurd end?

Articles about the “discrediting of the army” and the dissemination of inaccurate information about the army of the Russian Federation appeared in the administrative and criminal codes on March 4, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In fact, they allow us to recognize unlawful any statement diverging with the position of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Over eight months, 4800 administrative cases were received on the discredit of the army, and the amount of fines for the first half of 86 million rubles.