A court in Vladikavkaz found local resident Kazbek Alikov guilty under the article on “fake news” about the Russian army (Part 1 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code). He was sentenced to one year suspended imprisonment.

Alikov was prosecuted for a comment on a social network. He wrote that “Russian troops are bombing the civilian population of Ukraine so that the cannon fodder who came to fight on the side of Russia does not have the opportunity to surrender. One can imagine how Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters will have to treat prisoners after such shelling. And, as I heard, many who find themselves in the “special operation” zone think of surrendering rather than being killed or maimed.”

In September 2023, Alikov was fined 30 thousand rubles, having been found guilty under the administrative article of discrediting the army. He left a comment on Facebook: “Putin started the war with Ukraine, and now through his V and Z symbols he is trying to spread this guilt on all Russians. And through propaganda and the lack of free media - to fool people. If you look at our propaganda for a week, it will seem like there’s a Banderaite or a Nazi around every corner... The propaganda in Russia is terrifying.”