Case of Kukavitsa in Birobidzhan

Case History

Vladlena Kukavitsa is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Birobidzhan whose homes were searched in February 2024. Shortly before that, the FSB opened a criminal case against the believer for involvement in the activities of an extremist organization because of conversations about the Bible with a local resident. A month later, FSB investigator Dmitriy Yankin, who had previously initiated the criminal prosecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Birobidzhan, opened a second criminal case against the woman, this time for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. In September 2024, the case went to court.
Timeline

  • #
    Tapping and hidden surveillance

    Judge Vladimir Shibanov authorizes the conduct of operational-search measures in relation to Vladlena Kukavitsa: wiretapping of telephone conversations, control of mail and other messages.

  • #

    The FSB is conducting operational-search measures in relation to Vladlena Kukavitsa.

  • #
    Case initiated Art. 282.2 (1.1)

    Investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate for the Jewish Autonomous Region A.A. Karavaev initiates a criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Vladlena Kukavitsa, who lives in Birobidzhan. According to the investigation, between July 2022 and January 2024, the believer repeatedly communicated via the Internet with a certain "Valeria Suvorova." Karavayev considered these conversations to be involvement in the activities of an extremist organization.

  • #
    Search

    The judge of the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region, Vladimirova Y.O., who had previously sentenced four Birobidzhan residents to a colony for a term of 3,5 to 7 years, issues a search warrant in the home of Vladlena Kukavitsa and her husband, as well as several other local Jehovah's Witnesses.

  • #
    Search

    Searches are being conducted at the Kukavits' family and other believers from Birobidzhan, including the Postnikovs. The search of Vladlena's family is led by FSB investigator Dmitry Yankin, who previously initiated criminal cases against other Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan. Electronic devices, storage media, personal records and the Bible are seized from the apartment. From the invasion of the security forces, the woman is experiencing severe stress.

  • #
    Case initiated Art. 282.2 (2)

    Dmitriy Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia, initiates a second criminal case against Vladlena Kukavitsa, this time under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization). The cases are consolidated into one proceeding.

  • #
    Recognizance agreement

    Senior investigator-criminalist of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia, Captain of Justice Yankin, attracts Vladlena Kukavitsa as an accused and takes from her a recognizance not to leave.

  • #

    Deputy Prosecutor of the Jewish Autonomous Region, Senior Counselor of Justice Dmitry Kapinos approves the indictment against Vladlena Kukavitsa.

  • #
    Case went to court

    The case goes to the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region and is transferred to Judge Aleksandr Kulikov for consideration.

Back to top