On 18 July 2025, the Investigative Committee of Russian opened a criminal case against TV Rain (Dozhd) journalist Anna Mongayt, on charges of disseminating so-called “fake news” about the Russian army. The charges were reportedly linked to posts published in Mongayt‘s Telegram channel, which were related to Russian strikes on Odesa in April 2022 and July 2023.
On the same day, Russian authorities opened criminal cases under the same charges against three other TV Rain journalists: editor-in-chief Tikhon Dzyadko, as well as journalists Ekaterina Kotrikadze and Valeria Ratnikova.
Mongayt, Dzyadko, Kotrikadze and Ratnikova were accused under article 207.3.2 of Russia’s criminal code, and could be sentenced to in absentia sentences of five to ten years in prison each if they are found guilty.
All four journalists reside in exile since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and are legally designated as “foreign agents”.
UPDATE: On 25 August 2025, a court in Moscow placed Mongayt under arrest in absentia.
UPDATE: On 5 September 2025, Russian independent media reported that authorities had placed Kotrikadze and Ratnikova on Russia’s ‘wanted’ list.
UPDATE: On 2 October 2025, Russian independent media reported that a court in Moscow had sentenced Mongayt to five years of prison in absentia on charges of publishing what Russia claims is “fake news” on the war in Ukraine. On the same day, Russian media also reported that a court in Moscow had arrested Kotrikadze and Ratnikova in absentia.
UPDATE: On 7 October 2025, it was additionally reported that Kotrikadze had been placed on Russia’s list of ‘terrorists and extremists’.
UPDATE: On 21 October 2025, Russian independent media additionally reported that Mongayt had also been placed on Russia’s list of “terrorists and extremists”, as a result of which her bank accounts in Russia were automatically frozen.