Nikolai, an Afghan war veteran, entrepreneur, and public figure, had previously been persecuted multiple times for his civic activism. He was arrested on December 1, 2020, and convicted on several charges, including "creating a criminal organization" and "attempted seizure of power." He received a lengthy prison sentence and a fine, with the first five years of his sentence to be served in prison.
In the spring of 2024, Nikolai and two other defendants in the "case" were ordered to pay compensation for damage to police officers' property totaling more than 40,000 rubles.
In November 2025, Nikolai completed his five-year prison sentence and was transferred to Correctional Colony No. 14, where he was immediately sent to a PKT. Nikolai will likely be sent back to prison.
