
A leftist anarchist, vegan, eco-activist, animal rights advocate, and creator of the well-known true crime community in Russia “True Crime.” Over many years of managing the community, Ruslan has written about a thousand articles about to criminology and profiling.
- FULL NAME: Ruslan Vyacheslavovich Ushakov
- DATE OF BIRTH: August 16, 1993, Moscow
- CHARGES: Part 2, Article 205.2; Part 4, Article 354.1; Clause “a”, Part 2, Article 282; Clause “d”, Part 2, Article 207.3
- SENTENCE: 7 years and 10 months in prison
- DATE OF ARREST: December 14, 2022
Criminal prosecution
On December 14, 2022, 12 law enforcement officers raided Ruslan’s home, conducted a search, and arrested him on suspicion of publicly justifying terrorism. While Ruslan was in a detention center, three additional charges were brought against him: spreading “fake news” about the military, inciting hatred or enmity, and rehabilitating Nazism. The prosecution was based on messages he wrote in the chat of his Telegram channel “True Crime.” The messages mentioned the shelling of Mariupol and the killing of civilians in Ukraine. Ruslan actively opposed the war, the current government, and, in a post-ironic manner, expressed views on the ideology of the “Russian world”, often using dark humor and sarcasm understood by active participants in the chat.
During his arrest, Ruslan was beaten and tortured with electric shocks to force a confession. The court refused to summon Ruslan’s former cellmates as witnesses, who could testify about seeing traces of torture on his body.
Ruslan’s imprisonment has taken a heavy toll on his family, especially his mother, who recently underwent heart surgery. Ruslan was the sole breadwinner for his family, which includes his sisters, mother, and fiancée. He has been in custody for more than two years, enduring torture and spending almost a year in a high-security detention center for “especially dangerous criminals”, in a cell without sunlight. This has affected his health. Despite the harsh conditions, Ruslan, a committed vegan, continues to adhere to his ethical principles, which has further deteriorated his physical condition due to the inability to access adequate nutrition and vitamins under strict prison regulations.
During his arrest, Ruslan was beaten and tortured with electric shocks to force a confession. The court refused to summon Ruslan’s former cellmates as witnesses, who could testify about seeing traces of torture on his body.
Ruslan’s imprisonment has taken a heavy toll on his family, especially his mother, who recently underwent heart surgery. Ruslan was the sole breadwinner for his family, which includes his sisters, mother, and fiancée. He has been in custody for more than two years, enduring torture and spending almost a year in a high-security detention center for “especially dangerous criminals”, in a cell without sunlight. This has affected his health. Despite the harsh conditions, Ruslan, a committed vegan, continues to adhere to his ethical principles, which has further deteriorated his physical condition due to the inability to access adequate nutrition and vitamins under strict prison regulations.