Support The Moscow Times!

Anti-War Professor Arrested, Fined in Russia's Volgograd

Roman Melnichenko. semnasem.org

A university professor fired for sharing anti-war videos has been arrested for disobeying police orders and fined under Russia’s wartime censorship laws, local media in the city of Volgograd reported Thursday, citing anonymous law enforcement sources.

Roman Melnichenko, who previously taught constitutional and municipal law at Volgograd State University, was fired in April 2022 and subsequently lost lawsuits he filed over wrongful termination.

Local news outlet V1.ru reported that Melnichenko was approached by police in connection with a misdemeanor charge of “discrediting” the Russian army. He was then charged with disobeying police orders after refusing to provide identification.

During a 72-hour administrative detention, Melnichenko was fined 30,000 rubles ($331) by a court under Russia’s wartime censorship laws.

Earlier this year, local state-run TV reported that Melnichenko laid flowers in honor of the late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny during his funeral in Moscow earlier this year, identifying the academic by name, photo and workplace. 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more