A 70-year-old Russian citizen has been fined 40,000 rubles (about 440 euros) for making a flattering comment about Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky, the Memorial human rights center reported. According to this association, outlawed in Russia, the retiree said during her stay in a rest home in the Russian Caucasus that Zelensky is "a handsome young man with a good sense of humor." "Everyone used to laugh at his jokes," said the woman, alluding to the profession of the Ukrainian president, who became famous as a comedian and actor before going into politics.
The events occurred in December 2022, indicates Memorial. Shortly after the conversation, some law enforcement officers showed up at the pensioner's room and accused her of “glorifying Zelensky”, according to the complaints received from her.
The woman replied that she had only referred to the physique of the current Ukrainian president and his qualities as an actor, but that did not help her avoid the fine.
Demonstrating opposition to the official line drawn by the Kremlin has become increasingly dangerous in Russia. At the end of March, a court sentenced her to two years in prison and separated a father from her daughter after she was denounced at school for drawing a picture that read "No to war." Before sentencing, the father fled and was arrested days later in Belarus. Her youngest, 13-year-old Masha, was first placed in an orphanage and later handed over to her mother, whom she had not seen for years.
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the authorities have detained thousands of people for protesting against the war and have shut down critical media and organizations.
