Arzamas was sentenced to 9 months of forced labor for desecrating the Eternal Flame.

      On July 13, 2026, at 16:26, Incidents: The Arzamas City Court of the Nizhny Novgorod Region issued a verdict against a 38-year-old local resident accused of desecrating a memorial complex. He was found guilty under paragraph "b" of part 2 of article 243.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, as reported by the press service of the regional court.

      It was established that on the night of March 27 to 28, 2026, the man, in a state of alcoholic intoxication, approached the memorial "To the Fighters for Soviet Power." He climbed onto the structure of the "Eternal Flame," collected the laid flowers and wreaths, and threw them into the flame.

      After that, the man covered the nozzle of the gas burner with his hand and extinguished the Eternal Flame. By these actions, he desecrated the memorial, which commemorates the memory of those who died defending the Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War.

      During the court session, the defendant fully admitted his guilt and expressed remorse.

      By the verdict dated July 9, 2026, he was sentenced to 9 months of compulsory labor with 10% of his wages withheld for the benefit of the state.

      The verdict has not yet entered into legal force.

      Earlier, it was reported that a draft law was developed in the Nizhny Novgorod Region to perpetuate the memory of the victims of the genocide of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay informed about major events, exclusive materials, and operational information.

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