Russian court sentences returnee to 7 years for €30 transfer to Ukraine

Russian philosophy instructor Nikolai Zyuzev was sentenced to seven years in a penal colony for treason after returning to Russia in 2025; the charge stems from a €30 transfer to his ex-girlfriend in Ukraine. Memorial has documented at least 40 similar cases since 2022, indicating a pattern of prosecuting Russians who left after the invasion and later returned. This signals an escalating domestic crackdown on dissent and perceived disloyalty.