A resident of Smolensk was detained on suspicion of justifying terrorism.

A 35-year-old local resident suspected of publicly justifying terrorism was detained in Smolensk. This was reported on June 2 in the press service of the regional directorate of the FSB.

According to the investigation, the man supported the actions of prisoners of the penal colony IK-19 in the Volgograd region, who took employees of the penitentiary service hostage on August 23, 2023. The criminals declared their affiliation to ISIS (IS, an organization recognized as terrorist and banned in the Russian Federation) and called their actions revenge for the detention of suspects in the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall.

As a result of the attack, three employees of the institution were killed on the spot, and another, 25—year-old Sergei Gordopolov, died in hospital.

"After learning about the incident from the news, Smolyanin, watching footage of ISIS supporters bullying Sergei Gordopolov, publicly supported the actions of terrorists," the message added.

The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Smolensk region has opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Public justification of terrorism"). The man was taken into custody.

The terrorists from Crocus: What will happen to them now, when the verdict is passed

At least 27 defendants are involved in the case of the terrorist attack on March 22, 2024.

On May 28, it was reported that a local resident was detained in the Kamchatka Territory on suspicion of publicly justifying terrorism. According to the investigation, the person involved in the Telegram messenger expressed support for the Ukrainian right-wing radical movement and its active supporter who took part in the fighting against Russia.