In a major turn of events, Nikita Zhuravel, a 20-year-old Russian man who was imprisoned for burning a Quran outside a mosque in Volgograd, has now been charged with treason by Russian authorities. The fresh charges, announced by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office on Thursday, come after Zhuravel allegedly passed sensitive military information to Ukraine in March 2023.
According to officials, Zhuravel contacted a member of Ukraine’s Security Service through an online messenger and offered his cooperation. He is accused of sending videos of Russian military aircraft, trains transporting equipment, and military vehicle movements to the Ukrainian side. Treason, under Russian law, carries the possibility of a life sentence.
Zhuravel first made headlines in May 2023 when he was arrested for setting fire to a Quran outside a mosque in Volgograd. He reportedly admitted to committing the act “on the orders of Ukrainian intelligence” for a payment of 10,000 rubles (approximately €100). The incident outraged many, especially in Russia’s Muslim-majority regions.
Following his arrest, Zhuravel was transferred to Chechnya, where his case gained further notoriety after Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s son, Adam, was filmed beating him in prison. The assault drew international attention and intensified calls for justice from the Muslim community.
Zhuravel is currently serving a 3.5-year sentence for insulting religious beliefs. However, with the treason charges now pressed, he could face a much longer term or even life in prison if convicted.
