Vegan Khristolyub Bozhiy (Dmitry Evgenievich Kuznetsov, b. 1982), a pacifist, cosmopolitan, vegan and non-denominational Christian.
Bozhiy published videos against the war on his YouTube channel. One of the videos featured a picture of Putin with a mustache and Hitler’s hairstyle. He called another video Putler and Gundyaev – The Devil’s Puppets.
He was arrested on 23 January 2023 under articles on insulting the feelings of believers (Part 1 of Article 148 of the Criminal Code) and the rehabilitation of Nazism (Part 2B and Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code). He spent about 40 days «in different places of detention» – a pre-trial detention center and a psychiatric hospital. In March 2023, Bozhiy was released on bail. During the search, all of his equipment was confiscated; it was eventually returned almost in full.
Now he has become a defendant in a criminal prosecution under two parts of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Rehabilitation of Nazism) and under Part 1 of Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Violation of the Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion). Several court hearings were held. On 24 January 2024, it became known that the court returned the case to the prosecutor’s office for investigation advising that the factual circumstances of the case may indicate the grounds for classifying Bozhiy’s actions as a more serious crime.
On 3 May 2024, Bozhiy’s criminal case was again submitted to the Voronezh Oblast Court with the same qualification of his actions as insulting the feelings of believers (Part 1 of Article 148 of the Criminal Code) and rehabilitating Nazism (Part 2B and Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code).
On 17 September 2024, it became known that Bozhiy’s home had been searched. His laptop, the means of earning money, was seized. The search was conducted for a criminal case under the same two articles: two parts of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Rehabilitation of Nazism) and under Part 1 of Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Violation of the Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion).
Bozhiy’s explains that the charges against him are far-fetched:
They are deliberately trying to convict me for what I am fighting against. It’s like Christ was tried for blasphemy, the desire to become a king, and corrupting the people, though he did the exact opposite: he avoided earthly power and taught that God is love, and therefore we should love each other.
In his interview, Bozhiy shares why he does not plan to leave Russia, how he prepares for each meeting, and what he plans to do next.
On 3 February 2025, Khristolyub delivered his final statement in the Voronezh Regional Court, declaring that he consistently adheres to Christian convictions of pacifism and cosmopolitanism. He explained that he opposes all forms of violence, chauvinism, racism, and similar ideologies. For this reason, he does not acknowledge the crimes he is accused of and does not consider himself guilty. He also stated that he consciously chose not to leave Russia, despite having the opportunity to do so. At the end of his speech, the preacher reminded the court:
With the judgment you use, you will be judged yourself.
On 5 February 2025, the Voronezh Regional Court delivered its verdict. Khristolyub was found guilty under Paragraph “v” of Part 2 and Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (justification of Nazism) for an offense committed in December 2022. He was sentenced to three years in a penal settlement, banned from administering websites for four years, and assigned compulsory psychiatric treatment. At the same time, he was exempted from punishment under the article concerning “insulting the feelings of believers” due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
On 11 June 2025, an appeal hearing began. At the session, Khristolyub stated that the trial court had ignored his evidence and did not allow him to present it fully. He demanded that video recordings of official speeches from the 1990s be admitted into the case, in which the USSR’s agreements with Nazi Germany were discussed.
On 20 June 2025, the appellate court upheld the verdict: three years in a penal settlement for “rehabilitation of Nazism.” In response, Khristolyub declared that he would begin a hunger strike in the penal colony and refuse food until he is recognized as innocent.
