Father of Russian girl who drew anti-war pictures held in Belarus

Russian man who was charged with discrediting the country's army after his daughter Masha drew an anti-war picture

Roman, a supporter of Russian citizen Alexei Moskalyov, who is accused of discrediting the country's armed forces in the course of Russia-Ukraine military conflict, speaks to the media in a courthouse in the town of Yefremov in the Tula region, Russia, April 6, 2023. Roman wears a t-shirt with a portrait of Moskalyov's daughter Masha and the slogan: "Loving a father is not a crime!". Credit: Reuters Photo

Alexei Moskalyov, a Russian man who was charged with discrediting the country's army after his daughter drew an anti-war picture, is being held in Belarus, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported, citing the Russian embassy in the country.

TASS cited the embassy's press service as saying: "We confirm that citizen of the Russian Federation Alexei Moskalev was detained on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. Now he is in a pre-trial detention center in the city of Zhodino".

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Alexei Moskalyov was convicted of discrediting the armed forces and given a two-year jail term, leaving his daughter Maria, or Masha in the diminutive, in the hands of the state.

Masha last year drew a picture in a school art class last year that featured Russian missiles flying towards Ukraine and the slogans "Glory to Ukraine" and "No to Putin, no to war", touching off her father's legal troubles.