An activist was arrested in Novosibirsk following farmers' protests
In Novosibirsk, a court remanded activist Larisa Mikhailova to pretrial detention; she had been helping to cover the farmers’ protests against the mass seizure and slaughter of livestock. She is accused of publicly inciting terrorism, but her family attributes the criminal prosecution to her civic activism and criticism of local authorities.
The Central District Court of Novosibirsk sent Larisa Mikhailova to a pretrial detention center. She is charged under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation—public calls for terrorist activity. Under this article, the activist faces up to seven years in prison. Mikhailova was detained on August 13 following a search of her home. According to her daughter, FSB and OMON officers arrived at the residence. Afterward, the activist was taken to court for a hearing on preventive measures.
The hearing was held behind closed doors. Few details are currently available regarding the specific evidence the investigation considers grounds for the charges. Mikhailova’s daughter stated that she believes the criminal prosecution is linked to her mother’s activities with the “Agrarian Council.” The activist was involved in the situation surrounding the mass culling of livestock in the Novosibirsk region, communicating with farmers and appealing to government agencies.
She also recorded videos of meetings between farmers and officials and published information about the conflict. One such incident was a video in which Andrei Shindelov, the Minister of Agriculture of the Novosibirsk Region, avoided meeting with farmer Svetlana Panina. Shortly after the farmers’ mass protests, the governor dismissed Shindelov.
Why the Livestock Was Slaughtered
The conflict between farmers and the authorities in the Novosibirsk Region began back in the winter. Starting in February, livestock began to be seized and destroyed on private farms. The authorities attributed these measures to outbreaks of infectious diseases. Among the causes cited were pasteurellosis and rabies. Officials also spoke of an “especially dangerous disease,” but initially did not specify exactly which disease they were referring to.
For livestock owners, the situation was a serious blow. Farmers stated that they did not understand the real reasons for the mass culling and also complained about the amount of compensation for the destroyed animals. In May, authorities confirmed that foot-and-mouth disease had been detected in one of the cows at the start of the campaign. This disease is highly contagious and can spread rapidly among cloven-hoofed animals. It was precisely this campaign that sparked protests by farmers. They demanded greater transparency from officials, clear explanations, and fair compensation for the seized livestock.
Mikhailova became one of the activists who regularly covered the conflict. She documented meetings between farmers and officials, reported on the situation at the farms, and tried to bring the issue to the attention of a wider audience.
What Does “The Internationale” Have to Do with It?
A separate issue in Mikhailova’s case concerns the song “The Internationale.” According to her lawyer, the mere mention of this revolutionary song may have been one of the reasons for the criminal prosecution. “The Internationale” is an international socialist and workers’ song that has been used by leftist and communist movements at various times. In the Soviet Union, it was performed as the national anthem until 1944, when it was replaced by another composition.
It would seem that the mere mention of this historical song has no connection to terrorism. However, in Russia, posts and materials related to revolutionary symbols have already served as grounds for criminal cases against activists. Mikhailova’s lawyer informed her daughter that investigators may be linking the case specifically to such posts. At the same time, no final details of the charges have been released yet. Therefore, it is too early to say what exactly served as the legal basis for the charges against Mikhailova. This must be determined by the investigation and the court within the framework of the criminal case.
What Is Known About the “Agrarian Council”
Mikhailova is associated with the “Agrarian Council” movement, which actively covered farmers’ protests in the Novosibirsk region. The organization drew attention to the situation involving the seizure of livestock and sought to elicit a response from government agencies. Until March 20, 2026, the movement was also associated with Svetlana Lada-Rus, known as Peunova. She is the founder of the “Volya” party, which the Russian Supreme Court dissolved in 2016 on charges of disseminating “extremist materials.”
Lada-Rus is wanted in Russia and has been designated a “foreign agent” by the Russian authorities. Her name has already appeared in other cases involving activists and revolutionary songs. It is this context that likely explains why investigators focused on posts related to “The Internationale.” At the same time, without access to the criminal case files, it is impossible to determine exactly which statements or posts formed the basis for the charges against Mikhailova.
This is not the first such case in Russia
Mikhailova’s story is also noteworthy because similar charges have already been brought against other female activists. Previously, the publication of revolutionary songs has been part of criminal cases against followers of Lada-Rus. One such case involves Aruna Arna, a participant in protests against municipal reform in Altai. She called herself the “people’s leader” of the republic and advocated for the resignation of Governor Andriy Turchak.
In June 2026, a court sentenced Arna to five years in prison. Among other things, she was accused of inciting terrorism through the publication of “Varshavyanka” and a revolutionary anthem with altered lyrics.
The altered version of the song criticized, among other things, bankers and digital currency. Thus, Mikhailova’s criminal prosecution is taking place against the backdrop of cases already well-known in Russia, in which activists are charged with inciting terrorism through their publications and political materials. However, these cases cannot automatically be equated. The specific circumstances of each proceeding must be determined by the court.
Why Mikhailova’s Case Is Important
The activist’s story illustrates how the conflict surrounding agriculture and the mass slaughter of livestock gradually escalated into criminal prosecution. Initially, farmers protested against government decisions and compensation issues, and Mikhailova helped draw attention to their problems. Now the activist herself is behind bars. She is charged with a serious crime, for which the punishment can be up to seven years in prison.
At the same time, it is important to distinguish between confirmed facts and the parties’ versions of events. At this point, it is known that Mikhailova was detained, that a search was conducted, that a court ordered her pretrial detention, and that charges have been filed against her. Her daughter’s statement regarding the case’s connection to the activities of the “Agrarian Council” reflects the family’s position, while the possible link to “International” is information that the lawyer conveyed to the activist’s daughter.
It will only be possible to definitively determine the exact grounds for the criminal prosecution after reviewing the case files and subsequent procedural decisions. Mikhailova is currently in pretrial detention, and Russian investigators are continuing their probe, according to Russian media reports.
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