In the full audio recording of the survey 14 -year-oldArseniy Turbin, the transcript of which was reviewed by Mediazona, does not include the student's confession that he allegedly sent a completed questionnaire to the Freedom of Russia legion. At the same time, the protocol of the same survey dated August 30, 2023 states: «I planned to join the said legion and sent them a completed questionnaire.» This protocol formed the basis of the criminal case against Turbin. He was charged under the article on participation in a terrorist organization (Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code) and was later sentenced to five years in prison.
The schoolboy’s mother, Irina Turbina, insisted that the FSB falsified the protocol of her son’s first interview, and recalled that operatives reprinted the document several times, correcting inaccuracies. “If I had known before who these people were, I would have read it again,” she said.
Mediazona got access to the original recording of the survey. Its full transcript is given in the inspection report of the “CD with an audio recording of the ORM “Survey” Turbine A.» dated January 19, 2024, signed by the senior investigator of the first department for the investigation of particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Oryol Region, Trunova S.A.
Photo: Mediazone
Judging by this transcript, the interview with the teenager lasted 1 hour and 59 minutes, and was conducted by two FSB officers, identified in the document as M1 and M2. Throughout the interview, Turbin never says that he sent the completed form to the Freedom of Russia legion, although the security forces are trying to convince him that there is nothing illegal about this. M1 convinces the teenager that sending a questionnaire is not the same as committing sabotage, that it is “normal,” “possible,” and “not against the law.” After this, Turbin admits that he might have wanted to join the Freedom of Russia legion, but was afraid to send a questionnaire with his personal data to strangers.
The case materials do not disclose the pseudonyms of M1 and M2, however, the protocol of Arseny Turbin’s interview dated August 30 was signed by “an employee of the Russian FSB Directorate for the Oryol Region, Captain A.S. Droganov.” In addition, the case contains testimony from another FSB officer who was present during the interview, Vladislav Afanasyev.
The Supreme Court recognized the Freedom of Russia Legion as a terrorist organization on March 16, 2023.