A court in Russia's Golovinsky district sentenced journalist Yekaterina Kotrikadze, associated with the television channel Doždj, to eight years in absentia for allegedly disseminating false information about the Russian military. Local media reports that the prosecution had initially sought a nine-year sentence for Kotrikadze, who denied the charges against her. In addition to imprisonment, the court imposed a four-year ban on her from administering websites after her release from prison.

The case against Kotrikadze began in the summer of 2025, highlighting the ongoing crackdown on independent journalism in Russia, especially against those who provide counter-narratives regarding the actions of the Russian government and military. Additionally, journalist Valeriya Ratnikova and Doždj's editor-in-chief Tikhon Dzyadko were also charged in absentia, indicating a broader target against the outlet and its personnel.

In October, they were included in the terrorist and extremist organizations list maintained by the Federal Financial Monitoring Service. This escalation fits within a troubling trend in Russia, where the government has actively sought to silence dissenting voices and journalists who challenge the official narratives surrounding significant political and military activities, further eroding freedom of the press in the country.