Russian girl painted this picture – now she is at home and her father is on the run

The photo

The story, which is making headlines around the world today, begins quite innocently. At a school in the eastern Russian city of Yefremov, children were asked to make drawings in support of the armed forces in Ukraine.

The then 12-year-old Maria Moskalyova drew a different picture. You see a woman with a child standing in front of a Ukrainian flag with the words “Glory to Ukraine”. The woman stretches out her hand and demonstratively defends herself against missiles that come at her. Among them is another flag, a Russian one, which reads: «No to war».

The photo is a stark contrast to everything else seen at the school in Yefremov. As in many Russian educational institutions, Kremlin propaganda is omnipresent. Pictures of Russian soldiers adorn the walls. Also the lines:

The intervention of the judiciary

The girl’s teacher immediately saw the image with which Moskalyova opposed the Russian attack on Ukraine. She reported the incident to the principal, who immediately informed the police of the suspicious photo.

Authorities then targeted Alexei Moskalyov, the girl’s single father. The day after the drawing was made, the 54-year-old was taken to the police station for the first time and had to pay a fine of 35,000 rubles, about 420 francs.

In addition, the authorities began to scrutinize the activities of the single father. They found what they were looking for: Moskalyov is said to have written several comments on the Internet condemning the war in Ukraine. In doing so, he directly opposed the Kremlin, which has been severely punished since the beginning of the war.

The judgement

The Russian judiciary also cracked down on the Moskalyov case. The 54-year-old denied the allegations and claimed that others had gained access to his computer without his knowledge. Nevertheless, he was sentenced on Tuesday. “Repeatedly discrediting the Russian army,” the verdict said. The result: two years in a prison camp.

The circumstances of the sentencing are questionable. Independent media reported from the courtroom about a staged trial with rehearsed incriminating testimony from alleged witnesses. No evidence was provided. In addition, the verdict was controversial: apparently several women campaigned in court for Moskalyov’s release.

Moskalyov’s conviction also affected Maria. Because her only guardian has to be imprisoned for two years, she was taken to a children’s home in Yefremov. No one knows exactly how she is. “No one has seen her since March 1,” city councilor Olga Podolskaya told the BBC. Her father is not even allowed to call her. And also Moskalyov’s lawyer, Vladimir Biliyenko, sharply criticized: “Social services seem to be obsessed with this family. I think it’s purely for political reasons.”

The escape

Alexei Moskalyov is said to have been under house arrest until his conviction. But apparently the 54-year-old had guessed what was in store for him. A court spokeswoman said Moskalyov fled before the verdict was announced. Some in the courtroom responded with applause.

With his escape, Moskalyov surprised not only the court, but also his own lawyer. “To be honest, I’m in a state of shock right now,” he told Reuters. He hasn’t seen his client since Monday. It is currently unclear where Moskalev is located.

The protests

Meanwhile, the Moskalyov case is not only causing criticism in the West. There was also opposition to the verdict in Yefremov, where the father and daughter live. When the BBC visited the city in western Russia last week, some neighbors said they were considering collecting signatures, although they “of course” feared the consequences.

Even before the verdict, the first protests broke out in the courtrooms. At a hearing of Moskalyov’s lawyer in court, a protester was on the scene holding up a sign reading “Return Maria to her father”. Another supporter of the family criticized Russian politics: “Our constitution proclaims freedom of speech. But we are forbidden.”

(dab)