A man in Russia’s Urals region has been sentenced to three years in prison for insulting a child wearing a pro-war hat, as announced by regional prosecutors on Monday. The Oktyabrsky District Court in Yekaterinburg found Alexander Neustroev guilty of “hooliganism committed with the threat of violence, motivated by hatred against a social group,” according to the Sverdlovsk region Prosecutor’s Office.
Neustroev was arrested in April 2023 after verbally attacking an 11-year-old boy wearing a militaristic hat, leading to his apology in a released video. Initially fined for “hooliganism,” a new trial was sought by prosecutors following pressure from Russia’s avid war supporters.
In the latest development, the court refused to terminate the criminal case and imposed a court fine, returning the case to the investigative body. The 11-year-old boy, whose father is involved in Moscow’s war against Ukraine, was recognized and awarded by local authorities for his family’s role in the conflict.
