Mikhail Komarov

Affiliated media: Online publication "Svoia Kolokolnia" , Editor-in-chief

Incident date: July 22, 2025

Attack type:

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

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Mediazona

Location: Russia, Ryazan oblast, Ryazan

Additional information:

A criminal case has been opened against Mikhail Komarov, editor-in-chief of the website Svoia Kolokolnia, on charges of large-scale extortion under Part 2 of Article 163 of the Criminal Code. Investigators allege that Komarov demanded 300,000 roubles (€3,200) from a lawyer in the Ryazan region in exchange for not publishing information said to damage the lawyer’s business reputation on Telegram channels he controls. Earlier in the Ryazan region, Alexei Frolov, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta – Ryazan, and Konstantin Smirnov, editor-in-chief of the website Vidsboku (“Side View”), were detained and placed in custody on similar extortion charges. The Sovetsky District Court in Ryazan has ordered a pre-trial detention measure against Mikhail Komarov, head of the publication Svoia Kolokolnia, who is accused of large-scale extortion. He has been remanded in custody until 21 September.