A Russian woman fined for comments about Volodymyr Zelensky

Olga Slegina, 70, was handed the punishment for comments she made last December about the Ukrainian president, according to the Memorial Human Rights Centre that is based in the Russian capital.

Slegina reportedly spoke to another woman at a health centre in Nalchik who had called Zelensky a "freak", saying that he had a "good sense of humour".

In a court hearing that is said to have lasted for only five minutes, she was charged under 'war censorship' laws introduced in March 2022.

The laws were brought in following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine to provide "huge administrative fines" for people who "discredited" the Russian Armed Forces and its operations.

According to Memorial, Slegina was tried for her comments and charged under Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

Three days later, she was approached by a man in civilian clothes who informed her that she had been reported to the police for her remarks.

Slegina was taken to a police car and driven to the police station where it was alleged that she had "praised Zelensky", to which she responded by saying that she only commented on his appearance.

She was interrogated and was asked to sign a document that she was unable to read because of her cataracts.

Memorial said that the document signed by Slegina "altered" her words.

Slegina was unable to attend the trial because of health issues but the presiding judge did not consider it a good enough reason to postpone the court session.

She said: "Slegina is not in intensive care ... walks, alive, healthy."

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