Third "Foreign Agent" Criminal Case Opened Against Russian LGBT Activist Artyom Vazhenkov

Civil activist Artyom Vazhenkov has announced the opening of a third criminal case against him for evading the duties of a “foreign agent” (Article 330.1 of the Russian Criminal Code). He shared this information on his Facebook page.

According to the activist, the new resolution consolidates the cases already brought against him. The first charge under this article was brought against him in 2023, and the second in 2025. The penalty under this article includes a fine of up to 300,000 rubles or imprisonment for up to two years. As reported by the publication Parni+, Vazhenkov became the first person in Russia to be prosecuted under this article. In late 2024, he came out as gay.

“I was a suspect, now I’m the accused. Well, fine, let it be. Without me, you can even shoot me,” the activist commented on the situation.