building a State of Fear: Teh Case of Sasha Skochilenko and the Criminalization of Dissent in Russia
Sasha Skochilenko, a Russian artist, declared to the judge at her sentencing, “Even though I am behind bars, I am freer than you. I can make my own decisions and say what I think.” Her statement, delivered after being convicted of disseminating “knowingly false data” about the Russian armed forces, encapsulates the chilling reality of escalating repression in Russia, where even quiet dissent is increasingly met with severe punishment. Skochilenko’s case, stemming from a simple act of protest, reveals a deliberate strategy of building a state of fear designed to silence opposition to the war in Ukraine.
Nearly two years prior to her trial,following Russia’s full-scale invasion,Skochilenko engaged in a small-scale act of guerrilla performance art in a St. Petersburg supermarket. She replaced price tags with antiwar messages, including stark statements like, “the Russian Army bombed an art school in Mariupol where about 400 people were seeking shelter,” and “Putin has been lying to you from the television screen for 20 years. The result of these lies is our willingness to accept war and senseless deaths.”
This act, intended to disrupt the everyday and provoke thought, was reported to police by a seventy-six-year-old shopper, Galina Baranova. Baranova, expressing her civic duty, told a Russian news site, “I’m proud of what I did. Isn’t it a real disgrace to see a crime and just turn away?” The response from the state was disproportionate. An extensive investigation,typically reserved for extremist activities,followed. Police reviewed surveillance footage and identified skochilenko, ultimately charging her under a law criminalizing the spread of “false information” about the Russian military. She was afterward sentenced to seven years in prison.
The case highlights how the Russian government has weaponized legislation to suppress antiwar sentiment. The law, ostensibly designed to protect national security, has been broadly applied to stifle any criticism of the military’s actions, effectively criminalizing self-reliant reporting and peaceful protest.
Director alexander Molochnikov’s upcoming film, “inspired” by Skochilenko’s story, further explores the tragic consequences of this climate of fear. The film reimagines the relationship between skochilenko and Baranova, placing them as neighbors who initially share friendly interactions. This proximity underscores the ease with which lives can be fractured in wartime Russia, and the potential for ordinary citizens to become instruments of state repression. While Baranova initially expresses remorse upon learning she denounced Skochilenko, telling police, “They’re decent girls,” her testimony ultimately hardened, declaring Skochilenko “guilty” of a “well-planned and cynical” attack.
Molochnikov notes that the film illustrates how “the incautious actions of one person, and then a second, together lead to disaster.” This dynamic reflects a broader pattern within Russia, where a pervasive atmosphere of suspicion and denunciation encourages citizens to police each other, contributing to a society paralyzed by fear.
Molochnikov’s own experiences while filming a television series in the Vologda region illustrate this disconnect. Despite forming amicable relationships with locals, he observed their unwavering support for the war, exemplified by a hotel receptionist’s constant listening to pro-war propaganda. He described a sense of shared common ground overshadowed by “a vast abyss” of differing political beliefs.
Ironically, Skochilenko’s fate took an unexpected turn in August 2024, when she was released in a prisoner exchange between Russia and several Western countries, including the release of American journalist Evan Gershkovich. However, her case remains a potent symbol of the Russian state’s willingness to silence dissent through intimidation, prosecution, and imprisonment, demonstrating a deliberate strategy to build a state of fear and control the narrative surrounding the war in Ukraine.
