In December 2024, folklorist Valery Ledkov from Khanty-Mansiysk was charged with “financing an extremist organization” after making a small donation, equivalent to just a few dollars, to Alexey’s Navalny Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF). A few months later, a second charge was brought against him for additional contributions. The ACF is a big part of the political heritage of Alexey Navalny. It was labeled an extremist organization in 2021 – and is now considered a terrorist organization.  ACF supporters and employees have been heavily targeted for prosecution. Each donation, however small it may be, is penalized with actual prison time. 

The prosecution in Ledkov’s case requested a four-year prison sentence. In July 2025, the court of first instance imposed a fine instead.

However, the prosecution appealed the initial decision, seeking a harsher sentence. In September 2025, the appellate court sentenced Valery to three years in prison and he was taken into custody directly from the courtroom and transferred to a penal colony, where, at the age of 60, he was placed in solitary confinement.

Despite this, he and his lawyer continued to fight the case. In November, we launched a fundraiser to cover legal fees for a cassation appeal — the last available legal avenue — and thanks to your support, the defense was able to proceed. In February 2026, the cassation court reduced the sentence, replacing the prison term with a suspended sentence.

Valery is now free.

Dmitry Dyba, a programmer from Krasnodar, was prosecuted for making several small donations to Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation totaling just under $10. From the very beginning. He was represented by a lawyer whose work was made possible through your donations.

In May, the court sentenced him to compulsory labor, with a portion of his income withheld by the state. The prosecution appealed the decision, requesting a three-year prison sentence.

In March 2026, the defense succeeded in having the sentence reduced to a fine.

As a result, Dmitry was able to avoid imprisonment.

This outcome is also a direct result of the collective effort that you supported.

On March 10, security forces carried out a search at the home of environmental activist and political party member from the Moscow region Nikolai Markin. He was initially expected to face serious criminal charges.

An OVD-Info lawyer arrived immediately.

As a result of this early intervention, the charges were reduced to a less severe Criminal Code article, and instead of being placed in pre-trial detention, he was released with travel restrictions.

This case demonstrates why immediate access to legal assistance is so important. The first hours of a case during searches and initial interrogations are often decisive, as this is when key evidence is obtained and procedural documents are created. The presence of a lawyer at this stage can prevent critical mistakes and protect a person’s rights from the outset.

Daria Kozyreva from Saint-Petersburg was 17 years old when her prosecution began. What started with a protest message gradually escalated from administrative charges into a criminal case.

She spent nearly a year in pre-trial detention.

With the support of a lawyer whose work was funded through your donations, the defense succeeded in having the case returned to the prosecutor due to procedural violations. Later, her pre-trial detention was replaced with house arrest, allowing her to return to her family.

The prosecution requested a six-year prison sentence, but the court ultimately imposed a sentence of two years and eight months.

Daria has now been released.

She later said:

As we wrote in the last week’s Digest, Gregory Winter was released from prison at the end of 2025 after serving a sentence in a case related to anti-war statements.

While he was incarcerated, you helped us provide him with essential supplies, including medication, food, and warm clothing.

Even in prison, Gregory continued to care for others. During his time there, he managed to rescue 22 cats. The day after his release, he went to collect them, as they had been waiting for him in temporary homes.

After his release, we launched a fundraiser to help him rebuild his life and many of you responded after being moved by his story. You can read it in full on our website.

The story of Masha and her father Alexey began with a drawing Masha made in school that expressed an anti-war message. The message triggered a search of her father’s social media.

Soon afterward, Alexey faced administrative charges, followed by a criminal case for discrediting the Russian Armed forces. He was placed under house arrest, while Masha was sent to a children’s home, leaving her separated from her only close family member.

In 2023, Alexey was sentenced to prison. He attempted to leave the country but was detained and returned.

During his imprisonment, he continued to face pressure, including time in punitive isolation. With the support of a lawyer whose work you helped fund, the defense was able to achieve a reduction in his sentence.

He was released in October 2024 after one year and nine months in prison.

Following his release, the pressure did not fully subside, and the family ultimately decided to leave the country. After more than a year of attempts, they were granted humanitarian protection in France. 

They are now safe. Masha is preparing to return to school and has said:

Each of these stories is different, but they share one essential element: our defendants were able to rely on professional lawyers located throughout the country who are committed to doing their job with integrity.

However, this work requires resources. Legal defense involves covering the costs of lawyers’ work, travel, expert reports, and appeals. In many cases, lawyers are not based in the same regions where their clients are detained or imprisoned, which means they have to travel across Russia to provide legal assistance.

In most politically motivated cases the outcome is predictable, but we know for a fact that a qualified lawyer can make a difference, reserving every precious day of freedom for their defendants.

Thank you for making this possible.

With gratitude,
The OVD-Info Team