MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. Mikhail Balashov, the principal defendant in the criminal case related to an assassination attempt on journalist Margarita Simonyan, was identified as the founder and leader of a cell affiliated with the international National Socialism/White Power movement, which is designated as a terrorist organization in Russia, the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office said in connection with the verdict issued by the 2nd Western District Military Court against twelve individuals involved in the case.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, Balashov established and led a clandestine cell of the extremist movement in Moscow, which he dubbed "Pure Blood," beginning in August 2022. Over the course of a year, he systematically recruited other participants to join his network.

The prosecution further revealed that Balashov, alongside defendant Yegor Savelyev, operated multiple Telegram channels dedicated to spreading extremist propaganda and promoting National Socialist ideology. These channels also contained calls for others to join the cell. The group’s activities included a series of criminal acts, notably extremist actions, with Balashov himself sharing videos of some of these activities on the messaging platform. Investigations confirmed the defendants’ involvement in hooliganism and armed robberies, some targeting citizens of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Based on their respective roles and degrees of involvement, the twelve defendants were convicted under eight articles of the Criminal Code. Their crimes ranged from organizing and participating in a terrorist organization, aiding terrorist activities, attempting murder, illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, robbery - including against foreign nationals - hooliganism, inciting hatred and enmity, to humiliating human dignity.

The court upheld the prosecution’s case and sentenced Mikhail Balashov to twenty years of imprisonment. The sentence includes four years of actual detention followed by incarceration in a maximum-security penal colony for the remaining sixteen years. Additionally, he was fined 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,400), and a two-year restriction of his freedom was imposed. The court also prohibited him from managing websites or online channels during this period. The other defendants received sentences ranging from six to eighteen years in prison, along with fines.