Sevastopol man detained in Crimea, charged with vandalizing a Russian flag

The Russian police in Crimea has opened a case against a Sevastopol resident (aged 21) who allegedly vandalized the Russian flag at the monument to the former Black Sea Fleet commander Fedot Klokachev, reports Krym.Realii, citing the Telegram channel of the Russian police.

"A criminal case has been opened against the suspect under Part 2 of Art. 214 ("Vandalism") of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The article stipulates a penalty in the form of imprisonment for up to three years," the report says.

The occupiers claim that they detained the man in August for "Insulting the state flag of the Russian Federation." An administrative case for alleged public statements discrediting the Russian army was also opened against him.

The police claims that the suspect painted pro-Ukrainian symbols on infrastructure facilities in Kacha village.

The Russian police did not provide the suspect's surname or a comment.

The human rights organization "Crimean Process" previously reported that since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 472 residents of the temporarily occupied Crimea have been charged with discrediting the Russian army under the Russian Administrative Code article.