TASS: a criminal case was opened against former “Important Stories” journalist Ekaterina Fomina for “fakes” about the army

Military investigators of the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case about “fakes” about the Russian army (points “b”, “d” of part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) against the former correspondent of “Important Stories” Ekaterina Fomina. this TASS reports with reference to the resolution to initiate the case.

The agency claims that the reason for the case was a conversation between Fomina and Corporal Daniil Frolkin, who participated in the invasion of Ukraine.

The pro-government channel REN TV reported on January 9 that a case of “fake news” had been opened against Fomina. “Important Stories” stated that they did not find information about Fomina in the search database of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and there is also no information about the criminal case in the Moscow City Court database. A month ago, the journalist requested a certificate of criminal prosecution in the Russian Federation; there was no information about the initiation of cases there.

In August 2022, “Important Stories” published Fomina’s investigation, “The commander gave the order: “They are expended.” It tells the story of Russian soldiers involved in robberies, looting and killings of civilians in the village of Andreevka in the Kyiv region of Ukraine. Journalists found out the names of four soldiers who were in Andreevka.

One of the military men, Daniil Frolkin, agreed to talk with the journalist. During the first conversation, the contract soldier said that he did not kill any of the residents of Andreevka. But soon Frolkin called Fomina via video link, asked to turn on the recording, and then stated that he had killed a man. The Ukrainian he killed, Frolkin said then, was transmitting to the Ukrainian Armed Forces the coordinates of Russian columns moving through the Kyiv region.

In March 2023, the Khabarovsk Garrison Military Court sentenced Frolkin to five and a half years probation on charges of “fakes” about the Russian army. It is unknown whether this case is related to the Important Stories interview.