A student from Voronezh was convicted of participating in the activities of M.K.U and Columbine

Yaroslav Koptilov was sentenced to six years in prison.

On May 13, 2026, the 2nd Western District Military Court sentenced 18-year-old Voronezh resident Yaroslav Koptilov under Part 2 of Art. 205.5 (participation in the activities of an organization that is recognized as terrorist), Art. 205.3 (training for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities) of the Criminal Code.

We are talking about participation in the activities of M.K.U. and Columbine , recognized as terrorist in Russia.

According to the court, from March 2022 to April 2025, Koptilov conducted correspondence in the messenger, where he expressed right-wing radical ideas, called himself a supporter of Columbine and M.K.U., approved of the ideas “of carrying out an armed attack by any available means on educational institutions and places of mass gathering of citizens, including those of non-Slavic appearance, in order to create a danger of mass death, intimidate the population and destabilize situation”, discussed the purchase of traumatic weapons and bombings of buildings, murders of schoolchildren. Koptilov purchased and manufactured knives, blades, stun guns, brass knuckles, and an incendiary mass of match heads. He studied on the Internet skills in handling weapons, explosive devices, explosives, toxic substances, as well as other substances and the production of flammable/incendiary mixtures. He wrote down the knowledge he gained in notebooks and saved it in Telegram, and also sent it to other people.

The court sentenced Koptilov to six years in prison to be served in a general regime correctional colony, with a fine of 40 thousand rubles.

In our opinion , mass murders and their preparation definitely require opposition from the state. However, the ban on Columbine in Russia specifically as a terrorist organization did not have sufficient grounds due to the lack of information allowing it to be considered a single organization. It is also worth noting that the actions of “school shooters” usually lack a political component, although the federal law “On Countering Terrorism” defines terrorism specifically as “the ideology of violence and the practice of influencing decision-making by public authorities,” “associated with intimidation of the population and (or) other forms of unlawful violent actions.”

Sources

• A first-year student from Voronezh was convicted of participation in the activities of the terrorist organization "Kolkmbane" // 2nd Western District Military Court. 2026.13 May.