On 14 May 2025, Russian state-controlled media reported that a new criminal case had been opened against Tatiana Felgengauer, an independent Russian journalist who currently lives in exile. Felgengauer later confirmed that the case had been opened against her, and that the accusations were related to an interview she gave on Youtube channel Popularnaya Politika in December 2024. In the interview, Felgengauer commented on a recent bomb attack in Moscow in which a high-ranking Russian general was killed. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) later claimed responsibility for the attack.
Commenting on the incident, Felgengauer said: “I do not know, but I assume that all these people [Russian officials] who are responsible for criminal orders, responsible for war crimes, for unleashing, supporting and continuing the war of aggression against Ukraine, this morning, when they read this news, they all got scared, they will all feel very uncomfortable for the rest of their lives.”
The journalist was accused of “justifying terrorism” and faces up to 7 years in prison according to article 205.2.2 of Russia’s criminal code if detained by Russian authorities.
A criminal case was previously already opened against Felgengauer in Russia, with authorities claiming that she had not respected her obligations as a “foreign agent”.