Transbaikal Left Union Recognized as Terrorist Group in Russia
The Transbaikal Krai Court recognized the movement of previously convicted Alexander Snezhnikov and Lyubov Lizunova, «Transbaikal Left Union», as a terrorist organization and banned its activities on the territory of Russia, according to the court«s page on the social network VKontakte.
«In the court session, the administrative respondents Alexander Snezhnikov and Lyubov Lizunova participated via video conference, as they are currently serving sentences in correctional colonies under a court verdict,» the message says.
The reason for the appeal to the court was materials received from the FSB Directorate for Transbaikal Krai, in connection with which the regional prosecutor«s office conducted an inspection of compliance with anti-terrorism legislation, based on which it was established that the activities of the »Transbaikal Left Union« movement have signs of a terrorist organization.
«It was also established that the left movement »Transbaikal Left Union« is not registered with the bodies of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the movement»s activities are aimed at propaganda, justification, support of terrorism, and commission of terrorist crimes. The prosecutor«s office indicated that the organization was created in July 2019, the unofficial leaders are Russian citizens Snezhnikov and Lizunova; the movement has its own symbolism in the form of a flag and emblem, as well as an informational internet platform,» the message says.
Alexander Snezhnikov was first detained in autumn 2022 in Chita on suspicion of painting anti-government graffiti and administering Telegram channels where information was published about protests against the special military operation, partisan actions, and animal protection. The second person involved in the same case was Lizunova, who was 16 years old at the time. The schoolgirl«s guilt was that she ran a Telegram channel where she justified arson of military enlistment offices and »rail war« and took a photo with a burned Russian flag. In January 2023, »Rossiyskaya Gazeta« published her name in the list of terrorists and extremists. We described her detailed story in this text.
On April 25, 2024, the 1st District Military Court sentenced Alexander Snezhnikov to 6 years. He was found guilty under the article on vandalism motivated by political enmity (Part 2, Article 214 of the Criminal Code) due to graffiti calling for the overthrow of the regime. He was also convicted under articles on incitement to extremism (Part 2, Article 280 of the Criminal Code) and terrorism (Part 2, Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code) for administering anarchist Telegram channels. On November 25, 2024, as a result of an appeal, his prison term was reduced by 2 months – to 5 years and 10 months.
In October 2025, the 2nd Eastern District Military Court found him guilty under another article – 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation («Public calls for terrorist activities, public justification of terrorism or propaganda of terrorism») and sentenced him to 4 years of imprisonment. Together with previous sentences, the total term of punishment was 5 years. The first 2 years he will spend in prison, the remaining 3 years – in a strict regime colony. He is also prohibited from posting information on the internet for 4 years.
