FSB launches terrorism-justification case against Pepel editor Nikita Parmenov

The Federal Security Service’s Belgorod office has filed a criminal case against Nikita Parmenov, the editor-in-chief of the regional outlet Pepel, on grounds of justifying terrorism. Authorities say Parmenov expressed support for the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion, groups that Moscow classifies as terrorist. The alleged statements were made during a livestream on the Vremya Nakazhet YouTube channel, where he refused to condemn Russians who join those volunteer units, though he also said he unequivocally condemns shelling of civilians in the Belgorod region.

The FSB’s press release did not provide the exact wording or timing of the comments and identified the accused as a foreign-agent-designated individual currently located in a South Caucasus state. Pepel argues the investigation was prompted by a Telegram channel, Zapiski Veterana, which edited the broadcast to remove his criticism of attacks on Shebekino. Launched in late 2022, Pepel’s Telegram feed now reaches about 170,000 subscribers and reports on the war and its aftermath without official censorship.