Tsepp Artyom Igorevich

In Moscow, no later than November 11, 2022, a criminal case was opened against Alexei Belkov, Mark Filippov, Veronika Koroleva, Nikolai Korolev, and Artyom Tsepp. On August 24, 2023, Veronika Koroleva and Artyom Tsepp were detained. They were accused of creating and participating in a terrorist community, publicly calling for terrorist and extremist activities, as well as inciting hatred and enmity on the grounds of race, nationality, and origin. According to the investigation, the defendants were leaders and ideologues of the neo-nationalist group "Belaya Mast'. Artem Tsepp administered a Telegram channel of the same name, while Veronika Koroleva managed the 'Moscow Mutual Aid Group' public page on VKontakte. The reason for the criminal prosecution was publications on January 1 and 16, 2019, which, in the opinion of the investigation, contained calls to attack people of non-Slavic origin and insults against the murdered journalist Anastasia Baburova and lawyer Stanislav Markelov. The reason was also a text from February 27, 2020, containing calls for terrorist activity and justification of terrorism, including the glorification of Anton Konen, who attacked the FSB office. The investigation claims that the group maintained contacts with the leadership of 'Azov', 'Russian Volunteer Corps' and the 'Freedom of Russia' legion. For the duration of the investigation, all defendants were sent to a pre-trial detention center. On September 2, 2025, the 2nd Western Military District Court in Moscow found all the defendants guilty. Artem Tsepp was sentenced to 20 years in a strict regime colony, Mark Filippov to 6 years and 2 months of imprisonment, Alexei Belkov to 12 years, Nikolai Korolev, who was already serving a life sentence, to 15 years, and Veronika Koroleva to 11 years of imprisonment. It is unknown whether the verdict will be appealed.