Russia Lists Two 14-Year-Old Boys as “Terrorists and Extremists” Amid Growing Controversy

Russia’s financial monitoring agency, Rosfinmonitoring, has placed two 14-year-old boys on its list of “terrorists and extremists.”

The boys, Amir Shagatov and Timofey Lubenets from Orenburg, were added to the roster on Thursday, as reported on the agency’s website. They are reportedly the fifth and sixth individuals of that age to receive such a designation since the previous autumn.

While law enforcement has not provided any commentary regarding these designations, reports indicate that both boys are facing charges related to terrorism.

Tulegen Shagatov, Amir’s father, shared with the investigative media outlet Agentstvo that his son was taken into custody along with friends and is currently under house arrest. He expressed uncertainty about the specific allegations against Amir, who is in seventh grade.

“He became involved with certain individuals… Perhaps he was coerced or invited to join some group. I can’t say for certain,” Tulegen stated.

Agentstvo also noted that Shagatov and Lubenets are friends on the Russian social network VKontakte, implying they may have been charged together.

Additionally, on the same day, Rosfinmonitoring included a third teen from the Orenburg region, 16-year-old Vadim Tukashev, to its list of “terrorists and extremists.”

The Rosfinmonitoring list now comprises more than 17,800 individuals and over 800 organizations. Being designated in this manner enables authorities to freeze bank accounts and restrict access to financial services without the need for a court order.