In 2025, a historic maximum of sentences under 'terrorist articles' was recorded. According to a study by Kirill Parubets for the 'First Department'*, in the first six months of 2025, military courts issued at least 597 sentences under these articles. The cases involved 659 people.
On average, in 2025, courts issue more than five sentences under terrorist articles every day. In total, during the years of the war in Ukraine (2022 — June 2025), military courts issued sentences in 2590 cases, involving 2901 people.
At the same time, punishments under terrorist articles are becoming harsher. In the first half of 2025, courts issued as many sentences for terms over 20 years as in the previous five years. Meanwhile, the number of 'lenient' sentences is decreasing despite the overall increase in cases. Researchers note that the statistics include only political cases that have become publicly known.
Compulsory medical measures were applied to 34 individuals involved in 'terrorist' cases.
Starting from the second year of the full-scale invasion, Russian law enforcement uses a combination of articles 'terrorist act' and 275 'treason'. In 2023, there were 12 such individuals, in 2024 — already 104, and in the first half of 2025 — 83.
The most 'popular' terrorist article is 'Public calls, justification, and propaganda of terrorism'. The founder of the 'First Department', Ivan Pavlov*, believes that this is how the authorities react to the tragedy: 'Failed to catch the terrorists in time — then at least punish the commentators'.
Also, the article on 'justification of terrorism' has become a tool for extending the terms of those whom the authorities do not want to release. For example, the second case against mathematician Azat Miftakhov**, who was detained immediately after being released from the colony. According to the investigation, Miftakhov allegedly spoke positively about the actions of Mikhail Zhlobitsky, who set off an explosion in the FSB lobby in Arkhangelsk, in the circle of prisoners. The witnesses are three inmates.
In May 2024, former municipal deputy Alexey Gorinov became an accused in a case of justifying terrorism. Previously, he was sentenced to seven years in a colony for 'fakes' about the army. Gorinov allegedly forms in other prisoners an ideology of terrorism, a conviction in its attractiveness, and a notion of the permissibility of carrying out terrorist activities.
Until 2025, the 'second place' was held by the article on 'assistance to terrorist activities', but this year military courts have already issued 33 sentences under the article 'terrorist act'.
The average age of those convicted under terrorist articles is decreasing. After a sharp increase in 2021 (from 36.8 to 41.8 years), by 2025 it reached 34.5 years. In addition, 2024-2025 records a significant increase in accusations of teenagers aged 14-18.
* Recognized in Russia as 'foreign agents'.
** Included in the list of 'terrorists and extremists'.