July 10, 2026 Yegor Guzenko. Social media A Russian military blogger and contract soldier known for his open criticism of the Kremlin’s handling of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been placed in pre-trial detention for two months, his Telegram channel said Friday. The ruling, which The Moscow Times could not independently confirm, comes days after 31-year-old Yegor Guzenko, who uses the callsign “Thirteenth,” was reportedly arrested on accusations of inciting hatred. The charge carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison. Guzenko’s Telegram channel, which has nearly 230,000 subscribers, said Wednesday that he may also be facing “extremism” charges, but it did not elaborate on the nature of those accusations. “It hurts especially badly to realize this is happening to a man who has been helping our fighters all this time,” his channel wrote. “He never stood on the sidelines and always spoke his mind openly.” Guzenko was placed on Russia’s wanted list earlier this month following allegations that he abandoned his post within his military unit. He originally signed a contract with Russia’s Defense Ministry following an earlier arrest in the fall of 2024 on charges of assaulting a government official. Guzenko’s arrest in 2024 came shortly after he posted a series of videos criticizing President Vladimir Putin and top military leadership for waiting until 2022 to launch the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, rather than doing so in 2014 when Moscow-backed separatists first began fighting in eastern Ukraine. In April, Guzenko posted another video criticizing Putin over mobile internet outages. Following that incident, his Telegram channel reported that he had been deployed to the front line. Ukrainian journalist Denys Kazansky later claimed that Guzenko was sent to the front as punishment for alleged heavy drug use. The Moscow Times could not verify that claim. Russian law enforcement authorities have arrested a number of pro-war bloggers and ultranationalists in recent years after they publicly criticized Putin. Read more about: Court cases , Blogger Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more French Cyclist Arrested in Far East Russia Placed in Pre-Trial Detention Until Oct. 4 Sofiane Sehili was arrested after crossing the Russian border with China illegally while attempting to break the record for the fastest endurance cycle... 1 Min read Former Military General Jailed 9 Years for Bribery Prosecutors accused Alexander Oglobin of taking bribes worth nearly $150,000 in exchange for steering state contracts. 1 Min read Russian Military Blogger Jailed for Criticizing Armed Forces The former soldier accused Russia of cutting off water access to civilians near the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih and of bombing a maternity hospital. 1 Min read Russian Court Orders Baring Vostok's Calvey to Be Kept in Custody Until April The judge said Calvey, a U.S. citizen, was accused of a "serious crime" and could try to flee.
Russia
Anti-War Politician Boris Nadezhdin Branded ‘Foreign Agent’
• What happened: Boris Nadezhdin, an anti-war politician in Russia, has been designated as a "foreign agent" by the Justice Ministry, which prohibits ...