The Basmanny Court in Moscow has issued an in absentia arrest warrant for journalist and blogger Iuri Dudi. The star is accused of promoting terrorism and faces up to 7 years in prison, and Russian authorities have initiated procedures for the confiscation of his assets.
The criminal case against Dudi was initiated following an interview with Denis Kapustin, the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, who is fighting on the side of Ukraine and is banned by the Kremlin.
On September 23, Dudi was added by the Moscow authorities to the list of terrorists and extremists, according to The Moscow Times. Among the properties Dudi risks losing are a three-room apartment in Moscow, as well as a house located near the Russian capital. Although Dudi transferred the property to his wife’s name, the Russian press writes that the transaction could be deemed invalid by judges.
In 2022, Dudi spoke out against the war in Ukraine and left Russia. The Ministry of Justice in Moscow then declared him a “foreign agent”. Dudi’s properties had been previously seized, as he had not paid fines imposed by the Russian authorities, according to the press.
In November 2025, Dudi was sentenced in absentia to one year and 10 months in prison, for not marking his materials as made by a “foreign agent”.
Yuri Dudi conducted an interview with Maia Sandu, the material being published in May 2024, according to unimedia.info. The journalist spoke with the president about the war in Ukraine, the relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin, the possibility of an attack on the Republic of Moldova, corruption, European integration, Gagauzia, and the situation of the press in Moldova.