Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 4, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 4, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleRussian comedian Artemy Ostanin sentenced to nearly six years for a joke about a war veteran, showcasing Russia's strict censorship laws.
MOSCOW, Feb 4 (Reuters) - A Russian stand-up comedian was convicted of inciting hatred and jailed for nearly six years on Wednesday over a joke he made about a legless war veteran, which triggered outrage among nationalists and military bloggers.
A Reuters reporter in court said that the comedian, Artemy Ostanin, had been handed a sentence of five years and nine months and a fine of 300,000 roubles ($3,908).
It was the latest in a series of rulings which have harshly punished people judged by the authorities to have spoken rudely or falsely about the Russian army at a time when it is fighting in Ukraine.
Ostanin was also convicted of offending the feelings of Christians with another off-colour joke he made about Jesus, which angered Orthodox nationalists.
Ostanin, who had apologised to anyone whose feelings he had hurt, denied wrongdoing and said that the joke he made about the war veteran had made no mention of the conflict in Ukraine.
His arrest and treatment were punishment enough for any offence he had caused, Ostanin said during his trial.
Russia passed sweeping censorship laws in 2022 shortly after it went to war in Ukraine. Pro-Kremlin figures and organisations have since publicly denounced people they deem to have broken those laws, and have reported them to the authorities.
($1 = 76.7500 roubles)
(Reporting by Andrew OsbornEditing by Mark Trevelyan)
Censorship laws are regulations that restrict or control what can be published or broadcasted, often aimed at protecting national security or public morals.
Military bloggers are individuals who write about military affairs, often providing commentary, analysis, and personal perspectives on military operations and issues.
Public outrage is a strong emotional response from the community, often triggered by perceived injustices or offensive actions, leading to calls for accountability or change.
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