Maria Ponomarenko

Affiliated media: RusNews, Journalist

Incident date: August 31, 2025

Attack type:

• Criminal/administrative prosecution excluding (1), (2) and (3)

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Mediazona

Location: Russia, Altai krai, Rubtsovsk

Additional information:

A third criminal case has been opened against RusNews journalist Maria Ponomarenko for causing non-life-threatening harm to a prison employee (part 2 of Article 321 of the Criminal Code). The case stems from a conflict at Correctional Colony No. 9 in Rubtsovsk, Altai Krai, where Ponomarenko was held until mid-August 2025. The specifics of the incident remain unknown. Ponomarenko has been in custody since April 2022 and was previously sentenced to six years in prison for spreading military “fake news” and harming a prison guard.