A Russian Man Gets 19 Years for Shooting Military Officer, Woman Faces 28-Year Sentence for Cafe Bombing
A Russian court in Siberia has sentenced a man to 19 years in prison for shooting a military enlistment officer, while prosecutors in St Petersburg have requested a 28-year sentence for a woman charged in the bombing of a cafe that killed a prominent military blogger. These developments come amidst an ongoing crackdown on dissent in Russia, particularly in the lead-up to President Vladimir Putin’s all-but-certain re-election in March.
The 26-year-old timber truck driver, Ruslan Zinin, was sentenced for opening fire at the military enlistment office in Ust-Ilimsk, a town 621 miles north of Irkutsk, following Mr. Putin’s order for a partial military mobilization to boost forces fighting in Ukraine. The shooting occurred during rare protests across Russia in response to the mobilization.
In St Petersburg, prosecutors are seeking a 28-year sentence for Darya Trepova in connection with the cafe bombing that killed a pro-war military blogger, Vladlen Tatarsky. Ms. Trepova was seen in a video presenting Mr. Tatarsky with a bust of himself moments before the explosion, but she claims she was acting under the instructions of two men who told her the bust contained a listening and tracking device.
The crackdown on dissent and harsh punishments for those opposed to Mr. Putin’s actions in Ukraine are part of a larger pattern of oppressive tactics employed by the Kremlin. Even peaceful protesters have faced long prison terms as the Russian government seeks to silence opposition voices following the invasion of Ukraine.
These recent events are reflective of the ongoing tensions in Russia and the lengths to which the government will go to maintain control and suppress resistance. As the presidential election approaches, it is evident that dissenting voices are not welcome in Putin’s Russia.
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