Russia imposes first fines for ‘fake news’ about army | Abroad

A 26-year-old man from the city of Plyos was fined 30,000 rubles (200 euros) for writing disparaging texts about the army, a court northeast of Moscow ruled. The Russian news medium Meduza gave an overview of a number of other convictions. For example, a man from the city of Kostroma was fined €200 for carrying a poster stating that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a “special operation for taxes”.

The Russian government calls the action in the neighboring country a “special military operation” and has banned media outlets from describing it as an invasion or war. Demonstrations in Moscow against the war are also banned. The authorities have made thousands of arrests.

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