Kathrine Frich
Even small acts of dissent can carry serious consequences in Russia.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, laws targeting criticism of the military have tightened, with authorities cracking down on voices seen as opposing the war.
One case involving a schoolgirl has drawn international attention.
A drawing in class
According to reporting by Le Monde cited by Daily Star, a 12-year-old girl named Masha Moskalyova was asked, along with her classmates, to create pro-Russian drawings during an art lesson.
While other students drew supportive images, she chose a different approach.
“The others painted tanks for Russia. I decided to draw what I saw,” Masha said.
Her drawing reportedly showed missiles falling on civilians alongside the message “No to Putin, no to war,” as well as a Ukrainian flag.
Police involvement
The artwork was reported to school authorities and later passed to the police, triggering an investigation.
Authorities began examining her father, Alexei Moskalyov, a single parent who had raised her for years.
According to reports, officials found anti-government content on his social media accounts, leading to his arrest.
Arrest and separation
Alexei Moskalyov was taken into custody and later described harsh treatment during detention.
“They pinned me to the floor, crushed my head and back. They ransacked everything, tore down photos, emptied the wardrobes, turned over Masha’s bed. It wasn’t a search, it was total destruction,” he told Le Monde.
Meanwhile, his daughter was removed from his care and placed in an orphanage before being transferred to her estranged mother.
Life in exile
After his release in October 2024, Moskalyov was reunited with his daughter.
The pair later left Russia and now live in exile in Paris, France, according to Le Monde.
Their case has become a widely cited example of how Russia’s wartime laws can affect even children and their families.
Human Rights Watch has reported that laws introduced in 2022 made certain forms of criticism of the war punishable by fines or prison sentences of up to 15 years..
Sources: Le Monde, Human Rights Watch, Daily Star
