Russia jails group over plot to kill pro-Kremlin media mogul

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MOSCOW, Russia - Russia said Friday it had jailed 12 members of a neo-Nazi cell, two members of which planned to assassinate state media mogul Margarita Simonyan, a leading backer of the Ukraine war and of President Vladimir Putin.

The cell’s leader - 21-year-old Mikhail Balashov - received a 20-year prison sentence, while 11 other defendants received sentences of between six and 18 years, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.

It was not immediately clear to what extent each of them were involved in the assassination plot, as the trial was held behind closed doors and prosecutors did not reveal detailed information on the case.

According to prosecutors, in 2022, Balashov “founded and led a cell of the international ‘National Socialism/White Power’ movement operating in Moscow, which he named ‘Pure Blood.’”

Among the other crimes of which the 12 were accused were attacks on migrants and LGBTQ people, as well as committing robberies and inciting ethnic hatred.

Simonyan is one of Russia’s most powerful state media executives, heading the government-owned media conglomerate that runs the RT broadcaster, Sputnik radio service and RIA news agency.

Russian prosecutors did not give an exact motive for the plot, saying only that two of the defendants were “acting on the orders of unidentified individuals” and had been offered a reward of US$50,000.

“The accomplices were unable to execute their criminal plan, as they were detained by officers of the FSB,” it added, referring to Russia’s state security service.

Described by the U.S. State Department as “one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s main faces of propaganda”, Simonyan is a vocal supporter of the Ukraine war and a frequent anti-Western commentator.

Reacting to the ruling, Simonyan said in a voice note on Telegram that she was saddened by the case and bore “no ill will toward anyone”.

Russia says it has thwarted dozens of plots against pro-Kremlin figures since launching its 2022 Ukraine offensive, linking most of them to Ukrainian special services.