The room in St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport where Viktor Filinkov was taken. This image was made by Filinkov’s wife Alexandra according to his description.Since autumn 2017, the Russian security services have been arresting anarchists and anti-fascists across the country. They're suspected of being part of a terrorist organisation called “The Network”. Detainees complain that they have been tortured, and rights advocates believe the case is fabricated.
The FSB’s version
According to the investigation’s case, the FSB foiled the activities of “The Network” terrorist organisation, which has existed since 2014. “The Network” had cells in Penza, St Petersburg and Moscow. The case also mentions a cell in Belarus, but does not offer any detail about its alleged members.
Defendants in the case are charged with organising a terrorist group and illegal possession of weapons. Each of them has assigned roles: leaders, communications personnel, sappers and ideological officers. According to the FSB, members of “The Network” were planning to organise bombings during Russia’s March 2018 presidential elections and the Football World Cup, launching an armed uprising and “stirring up the masses for further destabilisation of the political situation in the country”.
