RUSSIA: First criminal conviction for opposing war in Ukraine on religious grounds

Russian Orthodox (ROCOR) priest Nikandr Pinchuk became the first person to receive a criminal conviction for opposing Russia’s war in Ukraine on religious grounds. A court in the Urals fined him two months’ average local wage for a social media post condemning the “horde of the Antichrist” attacking Ukraine. Neither Verkhoturye District Court nor Prosecutor’s Office replied to Forum 18’s questions on why expressing religious views on the war in Ukraine should be considered “discreditation” of the Armed Forces and incur such a large fine.