This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Danil Berdyugin, a 19-year-old resident of Novosibirsk, was sentenced to six years in a strict regime colony in the case of preparation for high treason and attempted illegal crossing of the Russian border, the joint press service of the courts of the Kursk region reported.
On July 26, 2023, the Kursk Regional Court began to consider the case behind closed doors and issued a verdict eight days later, on August 3.
What exactly the FSB investigation imputed to Berdyugin is not specified. The press service of the courts mentions that a resident of Novosibirsk “made a transition to the side of the enemy, which was not completed due to circumstances beyond his control.”
The detention of Danil Berdyugin by FSB officers became known at the end of October 2022, a source told Sibir.Realii. Earlier, a resident of Novosibirsk was detained at an anti-war rally on March 6, 2022.
Berdyugin also signed a petition by students and alumni of Novosibirsk State University to end hostilities in Ukraine. On his VKontakte page, he published posts with anti-war symbols, Sibir.Realii found out.
The Kursk region is located on the border with Ukraine. Since the start of the Russian invasion of the country on February 24, 2022, it has been repeatedly shelled.
