Russian War Veteran Reportedly Jailed After Threatening Armed Revolt Against Kremlin

June 29, 2026 Alexander Lunin. Screenshot / Instagram A judge in the southern Voronezh region has found a Ukraine war veteran guilty of “displaying extremist or Nazi symbols,” days after he posted a video online threatening to take up arms against the Kremlin if President Vladimir Putin refused to meet with him. Alexander Lunin drew widespread attention last week after claiming the Russian army would “turn its weapons against the Kremlin” unless Putin personally met with him to address the alleged abuse of soldiers by military commanders. The video has since garnered millions of views on social media. The Kremlin said Friday it was aware of the video but had not yet watched it. Independent Russian media outlets subsequently verified Lunin’s identity as a 39-year-old combat veteran residing in the Voronezh region. According to the exiled news outlet Vyorstka, a judge at the Rossoshansky District Court found Lunin guilty of “displaying extremist or Nazi symbols,” which is an administrative offense for first-time offenders. The court’s official website confirmed that the ruling was made on Saturday morning and published on Monday. While a post on Lunin’s Telegram channel on Saturday evening claimed he had been jailed for 11 days on unspecified charges, the official court registry did not disclose the exact penalty. Under Russian law, the maximum punishment for “displaying extremist or Nazi symbols” is 15 days in detention, though judges frequently opt for fines instead. “Such cases are closed to the public,” Vyorstka quoted a court spokesperson as saying, leaving the precise nature of his sentence unconfirmed by judicial authorities. Read more about: Court cases , Veterans 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 Opposition Politician Shlosberg Returned to House Arrest Pending ‘Discreditation’ Trial The Pskov City Court had ruled earlier this week to impose a ban on certain activities instead of continuing Lev Shlosberg’s house arrest. 2 Min read Far East Court Upholds Detention of French Cyclist Sofiane Sehili was arrested last month while attempting to set a world record for cycling across Eurasia. 1 Min read Moscow Court Jails Estonian Museum Director in Absentia Over Anti-Putin Banner Maria Smorzhevskikh-Smirnova first drew attention in 2023 for hanging a banner on the walls of Narva Castle, which overlooks the Russian border town of... 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.