Margarita Simonyan Assassination Plot: Main Suspect Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

In Russia, a group linked to a national-socialist ideology carried out attacks on migrants and LGBT individuals, drawing attention to their activities. The group's leader, Mihail Balaşov, was later accused of planning an assassination attempt on journalist Margarita Simonyan. The trial of Balaşov has concluded, and he has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. According to the Russian Prosecutor's Office, Balaşov formed an illegal cell in Moscow in 2022 and, together with the people he recruited, carried out six violent acts. The group's activities included publishing videos of their attacks online for extremist propaganda purposes. In June 2023, Balaşov received an offer to kill Margarita Simonyan for $50,000. Balaşov was caught by security forces while attempting to acquire the necessary materials to carry out the assassination plan. In Russia, the LGBT movement is considered an extremist organization and its activities are banned.