Likes, reposts, comments, Stars: what is risky

For anyone who posts, reposts, reacts or donates on social media and Telegram and lives in Russia, travels there or may return.

The 5-minute minimum

• Most cases are over posts and reposts: 'discrediting the army' (art. 20.3.3 CAO), 'extremist symbols' (art. 20.3 CAO), 'fakes' (art. 207.3 CC), 'justifying terrorism' (art. 205.2 CC).
• A comment is as public as a post. People have been convicted under criminal articles for comments in Telegram channels.
• According to OVD-Info (designated extremist and foreign agent), citing the Supreme Court, a like alone is not grounds for a criminal case, but on VK and Odnoklassniki a like can appear on your page like a repost and people have been fined for it. Likes are visible if your phone is inspected.
• Telegram Stars and donations count as payments. Criminal cases (terrorist financing, treason) have been opened over Stars in channels of organisations Russia designates as terrorist.

If you are at risk

• A repeat 'discrediting' offence within a year of the penalty is criminal (art. 280.3 CC); the year runs from the day the fine is paid (art. 4.6 CAO).
• Authors are traced through phone numbers, Russian email and VK accounts, shared photos and denunciations. Use only your own SIM cards and documents.
• Don't spread material from organisations designated undesirable, extremist or terrorist in any form.

What not to do

• Don't repost or forward material from designated organisations, even privately.
• Don't send money or Stars to designated organisations from a Russian card or an account linked to you.
• If a case has been opened, a report drawn up or your phone seized, don't delete anything without a lawyer: deletion can be used against you and won't remove what the authorities have already copied.

What traces remain

• Public posts and comments get screenshotted and archived; deleting them does not remove copies.
• Channel admins see who sent reactions and Stars.

Designations of organisations in this guide: OVD-Info (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list). Contacting them carries a risk: do not write from a phone that may be seized, and do not repost their materials.

current as of 26 September 2026. More: OVD-Info: avoiding 'extremism' charges: reposts, donations, communities (updated 25.08.2026) (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list); First Line: deleting likes and comments on social media (updated 17.07.2025); OVD-Info: the risks of Telegram Stars (updated 24.09.2026) (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list); First Department: criminal cases over Telegram Stars (08.04.2026) (foreign agent); OVD-Info: 'discrediting' and 'fakes', lowering the risk (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list); First Department: how people are provoked into 'treason' (08.07.2024) (foreign agent); First Line: how to spot a provocateur; First Line: understanding the designations of organisations and media; EFF Surveillance Self-Defense: protecting yourself on social networks (Russian)