Yakutia Lawmaker Vladimir Poskachin Convicted Over Ammunition
Vladimir Poskachin, a deputy of the State Assembly of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Il Tumen, has been found guilty of illegal acquisition and storage of ammunition for firearms. The Verkhnevilyuysky District Court sentenced him to 1.5 years of restricted freedom. The deputy announced this on his Telegram channel.
The criminal case against Poskachin was initiated in July 2025. According to the investigation, the accused purchased 72 rounds of 7.62×54mm caliber with tracer bullets at an undisclosed location. After the purchase, he illegally transported and stored the rounds in a safe for hunting weapons in his home.
A tracer bullet is a specially designed ammunition for firearms whose projectile (bullet) begins to glow in flight, creating a clearly visible trail (this trail is called a tracer, hence the name. — Ed.) for the shooter, intended for fire correction and target designation.
The court sentenced Vladimir Poskachin to 1.5 years of restricted freedom. The verdict can be appealed within 15 days from the date of its issuance.
Vladimir Poskachin himself stated that the reason was his political activity and that the case was fabricated. In his opinion, authorities took interest in him because he openly criticizes the head and government of Yakutia and engages in opposition activities.
«Restricted freedom for 1.5 years. This is not imprisonment, but a requirement to register and report trips outside the Yakutsk urban district. Tomorrow I will file a request for the court proceedings transcript, which must be issued within three days. After that, I will apply to the Supreme Court to overturn this verdict,» Poskachin said.
From 2007 to 2023, Vladimir Poskachin headed the Verkhnevilyuysky district, and was a member of the United Russia party. Since last year, Poskachin has actively opposed the abolition of direct elections in Yakutsk, supported protest rallies, and criticized the policies of the current Yakutia authorities in his Telegram channel.
