A Novorossiysk resident was convicted of discrediting the army and calling for terrorism.

A military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Novorossiysk resident Nikolai Artamonov to a lengthy prison term, finding him guilty of discrediting the army, promoting terrorism, and attempting to cross the front line.

Nikolai Artamonov's case was heard in the Southern District Military Court since October 2024. He was accused of publicly discrediting the Russian army, promoting terrorism via the internet, and attempting to join a terrorist organization (Part 1 of Article 280.3, Part 2 of Article 205.2, Part 1 of Article 30, and Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code). The Novorossiysk resident's sentence was announced today.

According to the prosecution, in late March 2023, Artamonov, while in Novorossiysk, published a self-made video containing "false, defamatory information" about the actions of Russian troops on Ukrainian territory. The video characterized these actions as criminal, according to a statement from the court's press service.

Another charge of discrediting the Russian army concerned a comment a Novorossiysk resident posted online in June of that year. The author gave a "negative assessment" of the "purposes of using" Russian troops and substantiated his "belief in the correctness of such a negative assessment," according to a post on the official Telegram channel of the Southern District Military Court.

The charge of public calls for terrorism relates to text messages that Artamonov, according to security officials, posted online from May 8 to July 19, 2023.

The court also concluded that from July 5 to August 3 of that year, Artamonov received instructions in correspondence with an "unidentified individual" "on how to enter Ukraine and join the Freedom of Russia Legion" (recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia).

According to the prosecution, the man swore allegiance to this organization in writing and filled out a membership form, sending these documents along with a photo of his ID to his interlocutor. Subsequently, as stated in the verdict, he received a specific route for crossing into Ukraine from the Belgorod region, as well as money for travel. Security forces detained Artamonov on August 3 in a commuter train car, which he boarded at the Novorossiysk train station.

The court sentenced Artamonov to nine years in a maximum-security penal colony, with the first four years to be served in prison. Comments by the accused or Caucasian Knot does not yet have information about his lawyer regarding the sentence and plans to appeal.

"Caucasian Knot" also wrote that in the summer of 2024, Vladislav Poruchikov, a student from Taganrog, was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of treason and attempting to recruit a terrorist organization. In April 2025, Poruchikov's sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court of Russia, and human rights activists recognized the student as a political prisoner.

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