Key facts
- Montian was convicted for "extremism" based on a 2022 statement.
- She called for "taking down" Russian regime propagandists.
- Montian was born in Kerch, Ukraine, in 1972 and became a lawyer.
A Russian occupation court in Ukraine's Donetsk region sentenced pro-war blogger Tetiana Montian to one and a half years in jail on October 19 for alleged "extremism." The court also banned her from managing internet sites for two years.
Montian, who supported Russia's aggression against Ukraine, had also criticized Kremlin authorities, accusing them of incompetence and corruption. She was convicted based on a 2022 video stream where she called for "taking down" Russian regime propagandists, arguing she meant banning hostile accounts rather than physical violence.
Born in Kerch, Ukraine, in 1972, Montian became a lawyer and activist, supporting Russia's actions in Donbas since 2014. She moved to Russia in 2021 and acquired citizenship. She addressed the UN Security Council in February 2022, echoing Russian justifications for its invasion.
Montian has criticized President Vladimir Putin for not conducting the war more effectively and called Kremlin propagandist Vladmir Solovyov a fascist and traitor. In February 2026, she stated that "unrestrained terror" existed in Russian-occupied parts of Donbas, with people afraid to criticize authorities. She is among several pro-war activists critical of the Kremlin to be jailed.