Russian student under house arrest for cricitising Ukraine war. Here's what she says

Russian student under house arrest for cricitising Ukraine war. Here's what she says

File photo of Russian student Olesya Krivtsova. (Source: Twitter- @kmartynov)

Twenty-year-old Olesya Krivtsova has been placed under house arrest with an electronic tag on her leg. Krivtsova was charged with justifying terrorism and discrediting the Russian military, and faces up to 10 years in prison along with being added to the government's list of terrorists and extremists. Her alleged crime?- criticising Russia's special military operation in Ukraine which will soon mark one year.

Krivtsova, a student at the Northern Federal University, was apprehended for anti-war posts on social media including one related to the explosion on the bridge linking Russia to annexed Crimea in October last year. Under house arrest, she is banned from talking on the phone and going online.

Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday (February 14), Krivtsova said, "I posted an Instagram story about the bridge, reflecting on how Ukrainians were happy with what had happened." She added she also shared a friend's post about the war.

The drama unfolds

Recalling her detention, Olesya Krivtsova told BBC that she was talking on the phone with her mother when she heard the front door opening and police officials storming in. "They (the police) took away my phone and shouted at me to lie on the floor," she said. "I never imagined anyone could get such a long prison sentence for posting something on the internet," the 20-year-old said and pointed out she had seen reports of crazy verdicts in Russia, but never paid much attention and continued to speak out (on the Ukraine war).

"When I realised I'd been put on the same list as school shooters and the Islamic State group I thought it was crazy," Kristova further said. On her right leg, she has a tattoo of President Vladimir Putin on a spider's body which says, "Big Brother is watching you."

Students discuss whether to denounce her to authorities

Krivtsova said that a friend "showed me a post about me in a chat," regarding how she was against the war in Ukraine. She added that most of the students in this chat were history students who were discussing whether to denounce her to authorities. As per the BBC report, which has seen extracts from the group chat, Krivtsova in one comment, was accused of "provocative posts of a defeatist and extremist character. This is out of place for war-time. It must be nipped in the bud". "First let's try to discredit her. If she doesn't get it, let the security services deal with it," it added.

The Northern Federal University student recognised the names of students from the chat when the list of prosecution witnesses was read out in court.

Moscow expects total support for its operation in Ukraine

Olesya Krivtsova's case is not the first time that Russians condemning the war in Ukraine faced severe consequences. The BBC report on Tuesday said that public criticism of the special military operation- which also includes reposting other people's criticism - was dangerous. The report added that authorities expected total unflinching support for the offensive in Ukraine, and Russians who don't remain silent face laws for punishing dissent.

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