On 18 January 2024, Russian independent media reported that Svetlana Sintsova, a journalist at a pro-government local media outlet in the Russian city of Pskov, had been accused of “discrediting” the actions of the Russian army in Ukraine. While the details of the case were not reported on, local media claimed that Sintsova was being investigated for “pacifist posts” on the Russian social media Vkontakte.
Denis Kamalyagin, the editor of local outlet Pskovskaya Guberniya, confirmed to IPI that protocols had in fact been drawn up against Sintsova, and that a court would examine her case on February 5.