St Petersburg court hands “Masyanya” creator Kuvaev 4 years 1 month in absentia
In short
A St Petersburg court sentenced Oleg Kuvaev, creator of the “Masyanya” animated series, in absentia to four years and one month in a general-regime colony and banned him from internet publication activity for four years. He was convicted of public calls for activity against state security and of evading foreign agent duties, charges that stemmed from a video posted on YouTube in July 2023. Kuvaev, declared a foreign agent and placed on the wanted list in 2023, has lived abroad since 2006 and was tried in his absence.
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A St Petersburg court sentenced Oleg Kuvaev, creator of the “Masyanya” animated series, in absentia to four years and one month in a general-regime colony and barred him for four years from activity involving the posting of publications on the internet, the joint press service of the city's courts said. RIA Novosti, Interfax, Kommersant and Vedomosti all reported the sentence on 5 October. The ruling was issued by the Nevsky District Court, according to Interfax, Kommersant and Vedomosti. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Kuvaev was found guilty under point “v” of part 2 of article 280.4 of the Criminal Code, on public calls for activity against the security of the state, and part 2 of article 330.1, on evading duties set out in Russia's legislation on foreign agents, Interfax and Vedomosti reported. Kommersant said the prosecution had asked for five years and 11 months. Interfax reported that the case was heard in the defendant's absence. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The charges concerned a video Kuvaev published on YouTube on 14 July 2023 while outside Russia, Vedomosti reported. Outlets described its content differently: Vedomosti said it contained public calls to Russian servicemen to surrender, desert and not carry out orders, as well as advertising for a project on surrender; Interfax said it contained calls for activity against state security and advertising for a project created with the support of Ukraine's defence ministry, and that the video had been viewed about 1.3 million times. Kommersant said the investigation saw “ideological hatred and enmity toward the current Russian authorities and their officials” in one episode of “Masyanya”. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Vedomosti reported that Kuvaev, recognised in Russia as a foreign agent, failed to submit reports for the second half of 2023, the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, for which the Nevsky court fined him twice, 30,000 rubles each, and that between 7 February 2025 and 29 April 2026 he again failed to submit information required by foreign agent legislation. Kommersant reported that in the year before the criminal case was opened he was fined four times, totalling 140,000 rubles, over failure to file reports on foreign financing for 2023 and 2024 and over publishing material without the foreign agent label. [ 3 , 4 ]
Kommersant reported that Kuvaev has produced “Masyanya” since 2001 and has lived abroad since 2006, that Roskomnadzor blocked the cartoon's website in 2022, and that in December 2023 he was placed on the wanted list and entered in the foreign agent register. Vedomosti also reported that he was declared wanted by the Interior Ministry in December 2023. Kommersant said the Investigative Committee began checking an episode in August 2025 after a complaint from the organisation “Zov naroda”, and noted other in absentia verdicts in 2026, among them a four-year sentence for journalist Andrei Soldatov in March. [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The ruling places Kuvaev among Russian media figures sentenced in absentia on similar charges; Kommersant noted other such verdicts issued in 2026, including a four-year sentence for journalist Andrei Soldatov in March. Because Kuvaev is outside Russia and was tried without being present, the prison term and the internet publication ban cannot take effect unless he returns or is detained elsewhere, something the documents do not address.
Key facts
- The Nevsky District Court of St Petersburg sentenced Oleg Kuvaev in absentia to four years and one month in a general-regime colony. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The court also barred him for four years from activity involving the posting of publications on the internet. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- He was convicted under point “v” of part 2 of article 280.4, on public calls for activity against the security of the state, and part 2 of article 330.1, on evading foreign agent duties. [ 2 , 4 ]
- The charges stemmed from a video Kuvaev posted on YouTube on 14 July 2023 while outside Russia. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Interfax reported that the video was viewed about 1.3 million times. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reported that prosecutors had sought five years and 11 months. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that Kuvaev has produced “Masyanya” since 2001 and has lived abroad since 2006. [ 3 ]
- Kuvaev was declared a foreign agent and placed on the wanted list in December 2023. [ 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Nevsky District Court of St Petersburg sentenced Oleg Kuvaev in absentia to four years and one month in a general-regime colony. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The court banned him for four years from activity related to posting publications on the internet. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- He was convicted over public calls for activity against the security of the state and over evading the duties of a foreign agent. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Kuvaev is designated a foreign agent in Russia. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The case was heard without the defendant present. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- What the July 2023 video contained. Outlets describe it differently: Vedomosti says it called on Russian servicemen to surrender, desert and disobey orders and advertised a surrender project; Interfax says it contained calls for activity against state security and advertising for a project created with the support of Ukraine's defence ministry; Kommersant cites the investigation's finding of “ideological hatred and enmity” toward the Russian authorities.
- How many fines Kuvaev received for foreign agent violations and their total value. Kommersant reports four fines totalling 140,000 rubles in the year before the criminal case; Vedomosti reports two fines of 30,000 rubles each for missed reports in 2023 and 2024. The documents do not reconcile the figures.
- The sentence prosecutors requested. Only Kommersant reports that the prosecution asked for five years and 11 months.
- Kuvaev's current whereabouts and whether the sentence could be enforced. The documents say he was outside Russia when the video was posted and that he has lived abroad since 2006, but give no current location or any indication of extradition or detention.
- Kommersant's mention of other in absentia verdicts in 2026, including a four-year sentence for journalist Andrei Soldatov in March, rests on a single outlet and concerns separate cases.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti, citing the St Petersburg courts' press service, reports on 5 October the in absentia sentence of four years and one month in a general-regime colony and a four-year ban on internet publication activity. [ 1 ]
- Interfax reports the Nevsky District Court verdict, the charges under articles 280.4 and 330.1, the 2023 YouTube video and its roughly 1.3 million views. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reports the verdict and adds that prosecutors had sought five years and 11 months, plus background on the cartoon and earlier fines. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti reports the verdict, describing calls to servicemen to surrender and desert in the 14 July 2023 video and the missed foreign agent reports. [ 4 ]