On 26 October 2026, it was reported that Russian authorities had opened a criminal case against Nikita Parmyonov, editor-in-chief of the independent Belgorod-based media outlet Pepel, on charges of publicly justifying terrorism, according to Radio Svoboda.
The regional office of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Parmyonov of publicly expressing support for the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion, two armed groups composed primarily of Russian citizens fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. Both groups have been designated as terrorist organisations by Russian authorities.
Russian authorities did not specify which publication or statements prompted the criminal case. However, Pepelsuggested that the charges were likely linked to Parmyonov’s appearance on a livestream on the YouTube channel Vremya Nakazhet. During the discussion, when asked about Russian volunteer units fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, Parmyonov said he could not condemn Russians who had taken up arms to help Ukraine regain its independence.
Parmyonov left Russia following the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In February 2025, Russia’s Justice Ministry designated him a “foreign agent”. Later that year, a court in Belgorod fined him a total of 90,000 rubles in two administrative cases concerning alleged violations of Russia’s “foreign agent” legislation.