Culinary Historian Faces Criminal Charges for Alleged Misinformation on Russian Military Actions

On Wednesday, Russian law enforcement officials filed criminal charges against culinary historian Pavel Syutkin for allegedly disseminating «false information» regarding the Russian military.

The 60-year-old Syutkin is accused of sharing purported «fakes» about the conflict in Ukraine through his Telegram channel, “Russian Cuisine: A History,” which boasts more than 3,400 followers, as stated by the Moscow branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee.

His family believes that the charges stem from Syutkin’s posts discussing Russian attacks on civilians in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha in the initial weeks of the large-scale invasion.

Moscow has denied any involvement in war crimes in Bucha and accused Kyiv of fabricating the evidence, a claim that has been refuted by multiple independent fact-checking agencies and media organizations.

Syutkin was summoned for questioning at the Moscow office of the Investigative Committee and was expected to face formal charges and be placed in pre-trial detention later that day.

In June, authorities conducted a search of Syutkin’s residence, confiscating his electronic devices.

His family suspects that the criminal proceedings against him may have been initiated following a tip-off to the authorities. If convicted, Syutkin could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Syutkin has authored various books on the history of Russian and Soviet cuisine and has hosted television and radio programs focused on culinary history. In 2015, he served as Russia’s official ambassador at the World Expo in Milan.

Together with his wife, he wrote a weekly cooking column for The Moscow Times until the Russian government designated the outlet as “undesirable” in July 2024.

In a video recorded at the Investigative Committee office and acquired by The Moscow Times, Syutkin expressed his disagreement with the charges brought against him.

“Any honest writer, journalist, or historian in Russia must always prepare for the possibility of imprisonment,” he remarked.