A criminal case was opened against a Russian journalist who joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine

A criminal case has been opened against a Russian journalist who joined the Ukrainian defense ministry, Sergei Loiko❶. It is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to a source in law enforcement agencies.

"A criminal case has been opened against Sergei Loiko❶* under part 2 of Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Evasion of duties provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation on foreign agents)," the agency's interlocutor said.

According to him, Loiko❶ repeatedly violated the legislation on foreign agents, for several months he ignored the need to add appropriate markings to posts in his telegram channel.

The maximum penalty under this article can be imposed either in the form of a fine of 300 thousand rubles, or in the form of imprisonment for up to two years.

Loiko❶ was a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times in Moscow, and also worked for Novaya Gazeta. He was entered by the Ministry of Justice into the register of foreign agents in the fall of 2022.

As EADaily reported, the 69-year-old journalist went to Ukraine and joined the ranks of the territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to participate in hostilities against the Russian army.

In February of this year, he was put on the wanted list under a criminal article. According to which article the search is being conducted, the materials of the database of the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not specify.

❶An individual performing the functions of a foreign agent