A Russian court in Murmansk fined 72-year-old Ukrainian resident Vasily Yovdy 30,000 rubles ($390) for 'discrediting the army' by liking videos on YouTube, marking what is believed to be the first case of its kind. The court found that Yovdy had left 'approving comments in the form of reactions—likes' under videos, including one related to the assassination of Russian General Igor Kirillov, which was allegedly produced by Ukrainian agents. Despite the likes being private and not visible to the public, the court classified them as public actions that discredited the Russian military. Yovdy confirmed he liked the videos, knowing one was Ukrainian propaganda, and believed Ukrainian secret services were behind Kirillov’s murder. Rights lawyer Yevgeny Smirnov stated that a like should not be considered a public statement aimed at discrediting the armed forces. This case underscores Russia’s strict laws against discrediting the military, extending to reactions on social media, even when such actions are private or not publicly visible.