Natalia Filonova, a retiree, has been in a challenging situation since her arrest, as her son was taken away from her relatives and placed in an orphanage in the Barguzinsky district. A criminal case was opened against the 59-year-old woman after she allegedly broke a police officer's finger at a rally against mobilization. From the city hospital where he was held initially, 15-year-old Vova Alalykin was transferred first to a rehabilitation center in Ulan-Ude and then to an orphanage.
According to human rights activist Nadezhda Nizovkina, the district is located far from Ulan-Ude, with no railroad, only motor transportation. Vova has many relatives, but they have not been permitted to take him. Natalia Filonova has a husband, three adult children, and grandchildren. The orphanage mentioned that the boy could be given to relatives, but they must apply to the guardianship authorities who make the final decision. However, despite their request, the center where Vova previously stayed has ignored the relatives.
Recently, the court returned Natalia Filonova's case for further investigation, which might prolong her stay in the detention center. However, this could also raise the chances of her acquittal, according to Nizovkina. Earlier, Filonova was fined 35,000 rubles ($460) for discrediting the army after trying to tear down a patriotic banner with a "Z" symbol from a bus.
A family from the Tula region is facing similar challenges. Alexei Moskalyov, the father, became a defendant in a criminal case for repeatedly “discrediting the army.” He was fined after his daughter Masha drew an anti-war picture during an art class. In March 2023, the police arrested Moskalyov before releasing him under house arrest. The guardianship authorities took his daughter away and placed her in a social rehabilitation center in Efremov.
