00:54, 9 July 2026

A resident of Stavropol is suspected of creating a cell of "Citizens of the USSR"*

A criminal case has been initiated against a 62-year-old resident of Stavropol, who was suspected by law enforcement of organizing a local branch of a banned extremist organization in Russia.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", the Soviet District Court of Makhachkala sentenced local activist Larisa Bochieva and imposed a punishment of 6 years in prison for creating a cell of the extremist organization "Citizens of the USSR"*. The case against Bochieva lacks the elements of a crime, and the verdict will be appealed, said her lawyer.

People who consider themselves citizens of the USSR are an informal community; they unite in various organizations, human rights activist Alexander Verkhovsky told "Caucasian Knot" on March 6. "These are different people who believe that the USSR continues to exist legally, while the Russian Federation does not. They unite in different organizations. From time to time, these organizations also split into factions," he explained. According to the human rights activist, several organizations of those who consider themselves citizens of the USSR have already been banned in Russia, but not all of them use the abbreviation USSR. Dagestani supporters of radical left movements have not been noted for anti-Semitic outbursts and actions similar to those organized by supporters of the USSR* in other regions of Russia, said an expert from the "Sova" Research Center** and the deputy editor-in-chief of the publication "Chernovik", commenting on the case of Larisa Bochieva.

According to the investigation, in 2021, the suspect, being the head of a non-profit public association, posted videos on the internet calling on people to refuse to fulfill their civic duties, reported the press service of the Investigative Committee for the Stavropol Territory on July 8 via Telegram.

He is suspected of creating an organization whose activities are associated with inciting citizens to refuse to fulfill their civic duties .

The agency added that witnesses have been interrogated in the criminal case, a linguistic forensic examination has been appointed, and investigative actions aimed at collecting necessary evidence are underway.

The Investigative Committee clarified that it concerns the banned extremist organization "Citizens of the USSR"*, reports "Interfax".

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in mid-March, the Volzhsky City Court of the Volgograd Region issued a decision to ban the "Committee for the Security of Russia" (KOBRa)* - an association of local residents denying the collapse of the USSR.

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* the organization is recognized as extremist, its activities are banned in Russia.

** the activities of the company Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) are banned in Russia.

Translated automatically via OpenAI from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/424775