MIPT employee Viktor Moskalev was accused of spreading “fake news” about the army and was sent to a pre-trial detention center. The case was opened because of two comments on the site

A criminal case was opened against Viktor Moskalev, an employee of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, under the article on the dissemination of “fake news” about the Russian army “motivated by hatred or enmity” (clause “d” part 2 of article 207.3 of the Criminal Code), OVD-Info reports with reference to lawyer Yulia Tregubova.

The reason for the case was two comments by Moskalev on the website e-xecutive.ru, published on April 9. The first contains information that Russian troops have razed the city of Mariupol to the ground, shelled Chernihiv, Kharkov and Kyiv, do not stand on ceremony with civilians. The second, among other things, mentions that Russian soldiers stole televisions, video cards, raped and killed Ukrainian girls.

On March 28, a search was conducted at Moskalev's house, during which all the equipment was seized. On March 30, the Babushkinsky District Court of Moscow authorized the arrest of a MIPT employee until May 22.

The press service of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology told RIA Novosti that Moskalev holds the position of project manager at the center of scientific and technical initiatives in the field of Mobile Energy Storage Technologies. Moskalev, the press service said, was engaged in “development of civil topics”, his colleagues “characterize positively”, he does not have access to state secrets.

• Articles about “fakes” about the Russian army and “discrediting” the Russian Armed Forces were added to the Russian Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In criminal cases initiated under these articles, Russian courts are sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.