The Riga City Court on Wednesday sentenced pro-Kremlin activist Polina Kamleva to six years in prison for financing the Russian military, according to the Baltic Times and Meduza. Kamleva, a resident of Rēzekne, was convicted of transferring approximately €43 to purchase drone-jamming equipment intended for Russian forces in Ukraine.
Investigators stated that in December 2024, Kamleva agreed via WhatsApp to help raise funds for military equipment after a request from an acquaintance linked to Russia’s Kaskad military-patriotic center. Since direct transfers from Latvian banks to Russian banks were impossible, she arranged for an acquaintance in Belarus to transfer 157 Belarusian rubles (about €42.86) from their personal account to a Russian bank account. Latvia’s State Security Service detained Kamleva on Dec. 2, 2025, following an investigation into the financing of an armed conflict, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years under Latvian law.
In her final court statement, Kamleva denied criminal intent, acknowledging the transfer was wrong but arguing the messages on her phone did not prove the money was earmarked for Russian forces. She cited psychological distress and unemployment as reasons for complying with the request. Prosecutors had sought an eight-year sentence. The court also placed her on three years’ probation and credited time already served, leaving five years, one month, and 25 days remaining on her sentence. Kamleva may appeal the ruling to the Riga Regional Court.
Delfi previously reported that Kamleva was a member of the Latvian Russian Union Party. The State Security Service initiated criminal proceedings against her on Nov. 25, 2025, and conducted searches at two locations linked to her in Rēzekne and Preili Municipality.
