Bashkortostan man fined 40,000 rubles for discrediting Russian army

UFA. March 9 (Interfax) - A court in the city of Ufa has fined a local resident after finding him guilty of discrediting the actions of the Russian Armed Forces, the Bashkortostan courts' press service told Interfax on Wednesday.

"The [administrative] offense was committed as per part one Article 20.3.3. of the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses. The penalty was imposed in the form of 40,000 rubles," a spokesperson for Oktyabrsky district court said.

A source told Interfax that the defendant was a 27-year-old resident of Sterlitamak.

Earlier the Bashkortostan interior ministry's press service said that on March 5 police brought charges against two men, from Ufa and from Sterlitamak, for staging lone pickets in a bid to discredit a Russian troop deployment aimed at protecting national interests and citizens and maintaining international peace and security (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses).