Communist leader in Komi arrested in Moscow after criticizing the elections
The Basmanny Court of Moscow has arrested Oleg Mikhailov, head of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) branch in the Komi Republic and a former deputy of the Russian State Duma. He is accused of “justifying terrorism” due to a post published in 2024 in support of sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky and opposition figure Sergei Udaltsov. Mikhailov also criticized the results of the State Duma elections and called for a rally in support of fair voting.
Oleg Mikhailov, who heads the Komi Republic branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), was arrested in Moscow. He previously served as a State Duma deputy. He now faces up to seven years in prison on charges of “justifying terrorism.” The party stated that it would appeal the court’s decision. Mikhailov was detained in Moscow on October 21.
The basis for the criminal case was a post the politician published in 2024. In it, he expressed support for sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky and opposition figure Sergei Udaltsov. Both men were convicted by Russian authorities on charges of “justifying terrorism.” Mikhailov is charged under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This provision establishes liability for publicly justifying terrorism or propagating it under the circumstances specified in this article.
Mikhailov Criticized the Election Results
Oleg Mikhailov has repeatedly spoken out about violations during the elections to the Russian State Duma. According to him, the voting results were rigged in favor of the “United Russia” party and do not reflect the true political preferences of citizens. After the election results were announced, the politician called on the residents of Syktyvkar to hold a rally for fair voting. The rally was scheduled for September 25.
The event was to take place in Hyde Park—a designated area for public gatherings where no separate approval from the authorities is required for such rallies. However, the police still issued an administrative citation to the rally’s organizer, Vyacheslav Kochev. He was accused of violating the rules governing public events. According to law enforcement, the actual number of participants exceeded the declared number by ten people.
Kochev was charged under Part 1 of Article 20.2 of the Russian Federation Code of Administrative Offenses. This provision concerns violations of the established procedure for organizing or conducting public events.
Failed to qualify for the Komi gubernatorial election
Mikhailov served as a deputy in the Russian State Duma from 2021 to 2026. In the September elections, he lost to a representative of “United Russia.” The politician is also known for his environmental activism. He participated in protests against the construction of a landfill near the Shies station in the Arkhangelsk region. This project sparked significant opposition from local residents and environmental activists.
Mikhailov holds a Ph.D. in biological sciences. He has repeatedly attempted to run for the office of head of the Komi Republic, but was barred from the elections. Such attempts were made in 2020 and 2025.
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) called the arrest political pressure
Nina Ostanina, a State Duma deputy from the CPRF, spoke out in support of Mikhailov. She published a video message in which she promised, on behalf of the parliamentary faction, to make every effort to defend her former colleague. Ostanina called Mikhailov an “inconvenient politician.” According to her, he actively raised environmental issues, criticized the authorities of the Komi Republic, and clashed with the region’s former head, Vladimir Uiba.
The lawmaker considers the reason for Mikhailov’s arrest to be fabricated. In her opinion, the case may be an attempt to remove a politician who openly criticized the authorities. Ostanina stated that the real purpose of the arrest may be a desire to “remove a prominent opposition figure from the political arena.” The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) announced that it plans to appeal the decision to arrest Mikhailov. If convicted, the politician himself faces up to seven years in prison. The CPRF reported on the arrest.
