A diesel locomotive driver from Dzerzhinsk faces up to 20 years for treason.

      26 November 2025 12:47 Incidents

      The prosecution has sought 20 years' imprisonment for Dmitry Savin, a diesel locomotive driver from Dzerzhinsk who has been added to the list of terrorists, on charges of treason, propaganda of terrorism and possession of weapons, TASS reports.

      In addition to the main sentence, the prosecutor proposed imposing a fine of 320,000 rubles on Savin and a restriction of freedom for 1.5 years. The prosecution also asked that the mobile phone and video camera seized in the case be forfeited to the state.

      Recall that Savin was detained on March 15, 2024. According to investigators, he distributed anti-war leaflets containing a QR code linking to the website of the underground terrorist movement "Atesh", which is involved in sabotage and terrorist attacks on Russian territory.

      Photos of leaflets placed at bus stops, lampposts and in an electric train were found on the detainee's mobile phone. The investigation also alleges that the man "reconnoitered facilities of security forces" in the Nizhny Novgorod region and passed the obtained data to a member of a foreign terrorist organization with whom he corresponded under the nickname Viktoria in Ukrainian.

      The case file mentions photographs of a Russian battalion building and a video of a police station in Dzerzhinsk. During a search at the defendant's dacha, a live 9 mm cartridge for a Makarov pistol was found.

      Savin has been charged under Articles 275 (Treason), 205.2 (Public calls for the commission of terrorist activities or propaganda of terrorism) and 222 (Illegal possession of weapons) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

      The trial began in Nizhny Novgorod at the end of May, but in June the case was referred to the Moscow military court. The defendant pleads not guilty. His lawyer asked the court to acquit Savin "for lack of elements of a crime." In closing arguments the defendant said that his actions were not connected to terrorism and that his "intentions are pure," therefore he asked to close the criminal case and stop the prosecution.

      Earlier it was reported that the Nizhny Novgorod resident faced a criminal case for treason for transferring cryptocurrency to Ukrainian fighters.

      Also recall that a military court sentenced a nuclear physicist from Sarov to 18 years for treason.

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