Who is Darya Kozyreva- 19 year old Russian jailed for criticising Ukraine war

A court in St Petersburg has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to two years and eight months in a penal colony after she was accused of repeatedly discrediting the Russian military. The decision came after she pasted a verse from a well-known Ukrainian poem onto a statue of the poet Taras Shevchenko.

The poem, titled My Testament, included a call to “break your heavy chains” and “water with the tyrants’ blood. The freedom you have gained.” Authorities viewed this as a political act aimed at criticising the Russian state.

Rights groups including Memorial and Amnesty International have called her a political prisoner. They argue that her punishment is meant to suppress any anti-war expression, especially among young people. Her lawyer has said they are likely to appeal the verdict.

Meanwhile, Reuters shared video of Kozyreva smiling and waving to supporters as she left the courtroom — a moment of defiance amid growing pressure on Russia’s youth to remain silent.


Who is Darya Kozyreva?

• The 19-year-old Kozyreva from St Petersburg, Russia.
• She was first detained in 2022 for anti-war graffiti while still in school.

• Koxyreva was expelled from university in 2023 for a critical social media post.
• In August 2024, a second case was filed against Kozyreva. This followed an interview with Radio Free Europe in which she openly called the war in Ukraine “monstrous” and “criminal.”