Moscow court upholds 5.5-year sentence against paediatrician convicted for criticising war in Ukraine

A Moscow court has upheld the prison sentence handed down to paediatrician Nadezhda Buyanova in November for “spreading false information” about the military, independent media outlet Mediazona reported on Monday from the courtroom.

A group of Russian doctors had appealed to Vladimir Putin to release the paediatrician, who was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison. Around 20 supporters gathered at the court to show solidarity with Buyanova, according to Mediazona.

Buyanova attended the appeal hearing via video link from pretrial detention. The court considered the appeal behind closed doors at the request of the prosecutor, who cited “security threats”. The defence strongly opposed this, noting that Buyanova’s original trial had been conducted publicly and all case details were already known.

“I am a paediatrician; how can I possibly pose any harm — especially from behind bars? How can I be a threat?” Buyanova protested during the proceedings, Mediazona said.

The case against Buyanova stemmed from a complaint by Anastasia Akinshina, the widow of a Russian soldier killed in Ukraine. Akinshina claimed she had taken her seven-year-old son to Buyanova for a medical appointment, and when the boy began acting up, Buyanova asked what was wrong. Akinshina said the child was grieving his father. The doctor allegedly responded that the soldier had been “a legitimate target for Ukraine, and in general, Russia was itself to blame”.

Buyanova has consistently denied making these remarks, insisting Akinshina fabricated the accusation.