Russian Comedian Accused of Making a Joke About Veterans Gets Prison Time

Russian comedian Artemy Ostanin was sentenced to nearly six years in prison in Moscow on Wednesday for "inciting hatred" after making a joke during a stand-up routine in March. The joke, involving a man who lost his legs in a mine blast and was using a skateboard, was deemed by authorities and pro-military groups as mocking veterans, though Ostanin denies this. A clip of the performance circulated widely online, leading to his arrest in Belarus after he fled Russia. Ostanin was also convicted of insulting religious believers during an earlier performance. His sentencing is the latest example of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent related to the military and the war in Ukraine.

Russian stand-up comedian Artemy Ostanin was sentenced to over five years in a penal colony by a Moscow court on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, after being convicted of inciting hatred. The charges stem from a 2025 comedy routine where Ostanin joked about a war veteran who lost his legs, a performance that went viral and sparked outrage among Russian nationalists. Ostanin was also found guilty of offending Christians with a separate joke about Jesus. In addition to the prison sentence, Ostanin received a fine and was placed on a government list of designated "terrorists and extremists." He denounced the proceedings as unjust and denied his joke referred to Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.