Channel One reports that in Germany a citizen of Ukraine was sent to prison just for openly expressing anti-war views. Alena Lapshina, presenter of the morning news program , states :
“Punishment for pro-Russian statements: either a month in prison or a freedom fee of 30 euros a day. This decision was made by a court in Germany, a native of Ukraine, Elena Kolbasnikova, for her words in support of our country and her actions against the escalation of the conflict in her homeland.”
This is followed by a report by Channel One correspondent Ivan Blagoy, the author of a sensational fake about a Berlin schoolgirl of Russian origin who was allegedly kidnapped and raped by migrants. Good says:
“Last year, on the occasion of the holiday – Victory Day over Nazi Germany – Elena organized a car rally and gave an interview to the Bild tabloid:
“We would like to demonstrate that World War III must be avoided by any means and means. We are for peace. Russia is not the aggressor. Russia is now helping to end the war in Ukraine. The war started in 2014.”
The prosecutor's office saw this as a public endorsement of "waging an aggressive war", an article – up to 3 years in prison. This recorded interview is the main and, perhaps, the only piece of evidence in the “crime of verbal” case. And it was enough for a verdict: guilty. <…>
“30 days in prison or I have to pay 30 euros for each day. That is, 900 euros to the state treasury for killing people in Donbass since 2014,” says Kolbasnikova.
The absurdity of the process is also added by the fact that Elena is a citizen of Ukraine, she went to Donbass with humanitarian aid, she herself saw the consequences of shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, she is categorically against the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Kolbasnikova told the judge about all this, but she heard: there was no genocide in the Donbass and in general she should have read the Ukrainian press as well.”
In reality, Kolbasnikova is not just a Ukrainian with her own personal views. This is a fairly well-known figure in Germany, who is called a "fan of Putin" and the face of pro-Kremlin activists. She organized several relatively large pro-Russian actions. Deutsche Welle talks about the process:
“Having taken the floor, Kolbasnikova tried to convince the court that she was being persecuted precisely for her political activities. She stated that her personal data and address of residence were published on the Internet, and after death threats against her, she was taken under state protection. She added that she had lost her job twice recently and that she was living on unemployment benefits, working part-time for a tax-free wage of 450 euros (“minijob”).
The main piece of evidence against the Ukrainian pro-Kremlin activist was an interview with Bild last May 8, in which Kolbasnikova said that “Russia is not an aggressor” and that “she had no other choice” than to invade Ukraine – although she does not consider this an act of aggression. The rally organized by her and other actions, in her opinion, continue the traditions of the “peacekeeping” policy of the two German ex-chancellors, Willy Brandt and Gerhard Schroeder. And Kolbasnikova called her statements “personal opinion”, to which she has the right within the framework of the freedom of speech in force in Germany. “I am for peace,” she clarified.
The prosecutor in his speech tried to convince the defendant that she was being tried “not because she considers Russia and Putin cool” or “criticizing the German or Ukrainian authorities”, and not because she “organizes pro-Russian demonstrations”. Where the approval of crimes begins, freedom of speech ends, he added. Russia's military invasion of Ukraine is an act of military aggression and constitutes a crime under German law, which Kolbasnikova publicly approved in an interview, the prosecutor concluded. The prosecutor called the appeals for peace by the accused “cynical”. <…>
Explaining her decision, the judge in Cologne recalled that Russia is conducting a full-scale military aggression against Ukraine using all conventional weapons, endangering its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that public approval of such actions in Germany is punishable. “Not everyone in Germany is allowed to speak, and not all speech is subject to freedom of speech,” the judge concluded.
According to Reuters , Kolbasnikova not only organized pro-Russian actions (the last one, on May 6 in Leverkusen, by the way, gathered only 200 people), but also raised money to purchase equipment for the Russian army, which violates EU sanctions.
On January 3, Reuters published a journalistic investigation into the connections of German pro-Russian activists with the Russian state on the one hand and ultra-right politicians on the other. Kolbasnikova and her husband Max Schlund (born Rostislav Teslyuk, a reserve officer in the Russian army) are among the main defendants in the investigation. It was established that Shlund attended a conference in Moscow, where Putin spoke, and the ticket was paid for by Rossotrudnichestvo. When Reuters approached Schlund for comment, he only replied, “Fuck off! Glory to Russia".
In 2022, Shlyund and Kolbasnikova went to the Russian-occupied areas of Donbass, where they arranged the distribution of aid, including tents, to local pro-Moscow forces. They thanked the "People's Front" for their help in organizing the trip. Later, they were going to attend a certain "forum of civil society activists in Moscow" and reported that the sponsor of the trip was "Russian House" – an organization for the promotion of Russian culture as part of "Rossotrudnichestvo". However, the trip did not take place; Shlund and Kolesnikova claimed that they missed the plane. Asked by a Reuters reporter for comment, Schlund responded:
"It's better for you, stupid cow, if you stay out of my sight."
The article, according to which Kolbasnikova was tried, suggests up to 3 years in prison, but, contrary to her own words, she was not sentenced to imprisonment. The court imposed a fine of €900 on her. Another thing is that according to the laws of Germany, in case of non-payment of a fine, it can be replaced by a conclusion. Kolbasnikova's fine is broken down into 30 €30 daily wages, so she could go to jail for 30 days if she refuses to pay.