Lida Moniava detained in Russia over army-related charge

Russia detains Lida Moniava over alleged false information about army

Lida Moniava, an advocate for the care of children with serious illnesses in Moscow, was detained at her home after being accused of spreading false information about the army. The charge carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Scraper SystemSeptember 02, 2026, 08:12 PM

Russia detains Lida Moniava over alleged false information about army

Lida Moniava was detained after police searched her home in Moscow and accused her of spreading false information about the army. Moniava is known for advocating care for children with serious illnesses.

Moniava’s lawyer said that officials from the Investigative Committee questioned her during the day. The Simonovsky District Court in Moscow is expected to rule on whether she should be placed in pretrial detention.

Charge carries up to 10 years in prison

The charge against Moniava concerns spreading false information about the army. It carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Lighthouse helps children and displaced people

Moniava founded Lighthouse, a charity that operates care homes for children and young people with serious illnesses in Moscow and surrounding areas.

Following Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022, Moniava established a foundation to provide shelter, medical supplies and food to people fleeing the war. The foundation later also helped Armenians fleeing the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and Russians displaced from the Kursk and Belgorod regions.

The foundation suspended its activities last September after the number of refugees arriving in Moscow and the surrounding areas declined.

Fined over Telegram posts

Moniava was also detained in January and February. After being found guilty of discrediting the Russian army over her Telegram posts, she was fined 45,000 rubles, equivalent to approximately $520 at the exchange rate at the time.

Moniava, who did not leave Russia despite pressure from the authorities, said in a statement this year that if she left, children with serious illnesses would spend longer periods in care homes and intensive care units. For this reason, she said she doubted whether she could lead a happy life in another country.

Russia detains Lida Moniava over alleged false information about army