This Wednesday 1is March, Alexei Moskalev was to meet with The world – from a friend’s phone, for more discretion. The call did not take place: the 54-year-old man was arrested at the end of the morning. During his pre-trial detention, the duration of which has not yet been fixed, his 13-year-old daughter Maria was placed in an orphanage in Yefremov, a small town in the Tula region, south of Moscow, where father and daughter live.
Since his misadventures began, almost a year ago, this is the scenario that Alexei Moskalev fears the most, as he still confided a few days ago to the human rights organization the OVD-Info man and the news site Spektr. Maria’s mother left when she was three years old; if there is a problem with the father, it will be taken care of by the social services.
It all starts in April 2022. At school number 9 in Iefremov, the plastic arts teacher asks the children to prepare drawings in support of the soldiers deployed in Ukraine. All comply, except Maria Moskaleva, aged 12 at the time. The teenager draws a mother and her daughter on whom Russian rockets fall, and a Ukrainian flag adorned with the slogan: “Glory to Ukraine”.
Immediately notified, the headmistress of the school called the police – which, when questioned by Spektr and OVD-Info, she denies today. Maria manages to leave the classroom in confusion, giving a false name to the police officers making the call. The teenager is terrified. Her father accompanies her to school the next day, and promises to wait for her until the evening. He is arrested in front of the establishment and his daughter with him, removed from the course she was attending.
At the police station, Alexei Moskalev is entitled to sermons on the education he gives to his daughter. His social networks are scrutinized, two tendentious publications discovered: a caricature of Vladimir Putin and an anti-war post, which proclaims: “Russian Army. Rapists are among us. » The father of the family was tried the same day, sentenced to a fine of 32,000 rubles (400 euros) for “discrediting the army”. For this man who lives from the breeding of pet birds, the sum is anything but insignificant.
The threat of the orphanage
The next day, back to school, but this time the FSB, the security services, come to get Maria and summon the father. New sermons, but also threats: if Alexei Moskalev does not make amends, Maria will be sent to the orphanage. A classic intimidation of the security services and the police, especially against mothers. Officers suggest the girl gets involved in supporting the soldiers. Traumatized, she goes through anxiety and panic attacks, begs her father not to send her to school anymore.
You have 57.69% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.