11/16/2024

In Echo of Soviet Era, Russians are Informing on Each Other over Ukraine

A rights lawyer says cases based on snitching are on the rise

On Jan. 31, 2024, a woman took her son to see pediatrician Nadezhda Buyanova at Polyclinic No. 140 in northwest Moscow. The boy, aged seven, had a problem with one of his eyes.

The conversation the boy's mother alleged took place during an 18-minute encounter at the clinic would change both women's lives and land the 68-year-old doctor in prison.

The case hinged on a denunciation - part of a rising trend of Russians informing on fellow citizens for their views on the war in Ukraine and other alleged political crimes. Critics say the wave of denunciations is helping Russian President Vladimir Putin's government crack down on dissent.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Reuters.