Police in Russia's North Ossetia have launched an inquiry following a campaign of online harassment targeting women through the Telegram channel Kavkazskaya Obshchina ("Caucasian Community"). The channel's administrators published women's personal information, insulted them and issued threats of violence over behaviour they claimed violated Caucasian traditions.
The Nalchik Garrison Military Court in Kabardino-Balkaria found Murad Khutiev guilty of leaving his military unit without permission during mobilization (Part 5, Article 337 of the Russian Criminal Code) and sentenced him to seven years in prison.
According to the investigation, Khutiev failed to report to his military unit on May 15, 2025, and was discovered by a police officer on August 1 in Mozdok, North Ossetia. It was established that he had been at his place of residence during his absence.
In determining his sentence, the court took into account that on August 6, Khutiev had already been sentenced in Vladikavkaz to six years in prison for other serious crimes committed during his service. By combining the sentences, the final sentence was seven years in a general regime penal colony.