Russian Soldier Sentenced After Threatening Putin with Mutiny

A Russian court has sentenced soldier Alexander Lunin to 11 days in prison for displaying extremist symbols, according to his Telegram account and court documents. The 39-year-old was found guilty of an administrative offense involving extremist symbols, though the court did not specify which symbols were considered extremist.

Lunin volunteered to fight in Ukraine in 2022 and, according to media reports, spent at least part of his service on the front line before returning to the Voronezh region. Last week, he posted videos on Instagram calling for a meeting with Putin. He claimed that many soldiers are being tortured and humiliated for refusing to carry out "pointless, suicidal orders." Lunin warned: "If I don't arrive at the Kremlin soon and talk live next to you, the army will turn its weapons against the Kremlin." The video, published on Thursday, garnered millions of views.

Russia has actively suppressed any criticism of Putin's regime and the military since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Voronezh regional district court found Lunin guilty of displaying extremist symbols, a verdict that typically results in several days of imprisonment. The sentence was announced on Saturday and published on Monday.