May 29, 2026

Teen Accused of LGBT Propaganda


Teen Accused of LGBT Propaganda
An empty classroom in Russia. The Russian Life file.

On May 22, independent outlet Mediazona reported that police had pressed charges against a thirteen-year-old boy for spreading "LGBT Propaganda" and exhibiting extremist symbols. According to the newspaper, his friends' parents reported him to the police.

The boy, whose name and location have been withheld to protect his identity, is known for his academic excellence. He took part in academic Olympics and won multiple prizes. He is now registered as a juvenile delinquent.

According to the child's lawyer, he showed a meme or a video to his friends or their parents, who later reported him to the police. His legal counsel said, "He wasn't trying to disseminate propaganda. He doesn't know what it is." The lawyer said the kid's hormones "activated" and he meant to show the image as a joke, but "the boy did not think of the consequences, and our legal system acted too quickly."

The age of criminal responsibility in Russia is 16, so the child is not facing prison time. However, the Juvenile Affairs Commission has deemed him eligible for "rehabilitation." Authorities are still evaluating whether to send him to a specialized school for juvenile offenders.

The lawyer told Mediazona, "Kids can connect to the internet, discover [something], and show it to an adult. And authorities consider this to be some form of propaganda." The mother of the boy confirmed the ongoing investigation against her son, but refused to give details because the information was "classified."

You Might Also Like

Debt is Dangerous
  • May 23, 2026

Debt is Dangerous

On the dangerous growth of Russia's debt collection agencies.
12 Years for Hating War
  • May 26, 2026

12 Years for Hating War

Anna Arkhipova has been sentenced to 12 years for hating war and saying so publicly.
Feeling the Burn
  • May 19, 2026

Feeling the Burn

Spring burns of Russian fields are both common and tragic.
A Presidential Rideshare
  • May 21, 2026

A Presidential Rideshare

  After Victory Day, President Putin made time to take a PR spin with an old teacher.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955