Court fines retired man for ‘liking’ antiwar content online, despite his civic work supporting Russian soldiers

A Russian court sentenced a 67-year-old retiree to pay 170,000 rubles (about $2,090) for liking multiple antiwar posts on the social network Odnoklassniki. A district court in the Amur region convicted Viktor Komlev of repeatedly “discrediting” the military — a criminal offense punishable by up to five years in prison. His crime was clicking “like” on three posts critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that other users had shared on social media, according to OVD-Info. (On Odnoklassniki, liking any content automatically reposts it on users’ feeds.)

Komlev’s case stands out because he previously served as deputy head of a local pensioners’ organization that actively supports Russia’s military by making camouflage nets and collecting care packages for soldiers. Despite this affiliation, Komlev maintained an antiwar avatar on social media and liked antiwar posts, which are criminal offenses under Russian law. Local pro-invasion Telegram channels have denounced Komlev as a “two-faced Janus” and circulated footage released by the police that highlights his criticism of the war in Ukraine.

The case highlights Russia’s increasingly draconian crackdown on dissent since the 2022 invasion. Russian authorities have prosecuted thousands of people for antiwar activities, including journalists, teachers, and ordinary citizens who express opposition to the war online. Even passive forms of protest — such as liking social media posts — now carry severe penalties. The 170,000-ruble fine represents nearly seven months of the average Russian pension.