The Investigative Committee Pursues Dmitriy Bykov for Alleged Disinformation
Foreign agent Bykov accused of producing false reporting on the Russian military
In a recent development, author Dmitriy Bykov, a known foreign agent, finds himself entangled in a criminal investigation. The Investigative Committee alleges that he has disseminated intentionally false information regarding the Russian Armed Forces and breached laws governing foreign agent activities. If convicted, Bykov faces a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison.
The grounds for this probe stem from a video in which Bykov is accused of propagating misinformation regarding Russian military personnel's actions towards the Ukrainian civilian populace. Moreover, authorities claim that he failed to disclose his activities to the appropriate authorities, an offense outlined in the legislation pertaining to foreign agents.
Notably, in 2024, Bykov incurred fines on two separate occasions for participating in the activities of an undesirable organization. The first fine totaled 15,000 rubles, imposed in January, while a subsequent fine of 10,000 rubles followed an interview with "Novaya Gazeta Europe," an organization considered undesirable in Russia. In 2022 and 2023, Bykov was also penalized twice for neglecting to include the mandatory foreign agent label in his social media posts.
For those interested, read about a different case involving Galina Glebova, a convicted poisoner of pilots in Armavir who claimed she was targeted by SBU agents.
Note: This article pertains solely to Dmitriy Bykov's present legal predicament. It is important to distinguish him from Anatoly Bykov, who served a combined 17-year prison sentence for ordered assassinations in 1994 and 2005.
Dmitriy Bykov has been under scrutiny for other reasons in the past. In 2019, he was hospitalized with symptoms resembling those experienced by Alexei Navalny, and there have been reports of FSB operatives linked to Navalny's poisoning accompanying him before his hospitalization. However, no explicit criminal charges have been brought to light in available materials—only surveillance and suspected poisoning attempts.
Referenced Platforms: VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp
Keywords: Russia, Investigative Committee, Dmitriy Bykov, Crime, Foreign Agent, Disinformation, Punishment, Legislation, False Information, Navalny Poisoning, FSB, Surveillance, Undesirable Organization, Finances, Allegations, Navalny Case, SBU, Assassinations.
^{1. Brison, A. (2021). He Was Called the KGB's Husband. Retrieved 25-04-2023 from https://www.rferl.org/a/brison-anatoly-bykov-kgb-husband/}^{2. RT. (2021). Dmitry Bykov is hospitalized with poisoning symptoms resembling those of Alexei Navalny. Retrieved 25-04-2023 from https://www.rt.com/russia/532519-dmitry-bykov-poisoned/}
- The Investigative Committee is pursuing Dmitriy Bykov for allegedly violating Rubles 10,000 in fines in 2022 and 2023 due to neglecting to include the mandatory foreign agent label in his social media posts.
- In addition to the current legal predicament, Dmitriy Bykov has faced scrutiny in the past for other reasons, including hospitalization with symptoms resembling those experienced by Alexei Navalny in 2019.
- Among the crimes Dmitriy Bykov is accused of is violating Rubles 15,000 in fines in January 2024 for participating in the activities of an undesirable organization.
- The ongoing investigation against Dmitriy Bykov in 2023 is focused on allegations of disseminating false information regarding the Russian Armed Forces and breaching laws governing foreign agent activities, which falls under politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice.
