# Kremlin Imprisons Russian Internet Pioneer, Sparking Outrage 🌐

**URL:** <https://onehack.st/t/kremlin-imprisons-russian-internet-pioneer-sparking-outrage/287508>\
**Category:** News & Articles\
**Tags:** news\
**Created:** [July 24, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/kremlin-imprisons-russian-internet-pioneer-sparking-outrage/287508 "2024-07-24T15:28:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TheJoker](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/thejoker/32/22660_2.png) [@TheJoker](https://onehack.st/u/TheJoker)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/kremlin-imprisons-russian-internet-pioneer-sparking-outrage/287508/1 "2024-07-24T15:28:21Z")

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**Summary:**

1. **Controversial Sentence** : **Alexey Soldatov** , a pivotal figure in the creation of the Russian internet, has been sentenced to two years in a labor colony. **At 72 and terminally ill** , Soldatov faces charges of “abuse of power,” a claim widely viewed as dubious within Russia.

2. **Historical Significance** : **Soldatov co-founded the Relcom network** , which connected Soviet research centers and established the Soviet Union’s first link to the global internet in 1990. **During the 1991 KGB coup attempt** , Relcom’s operational status played a crucial role in bypassing media control, linking Soviet citizens and the global community.

3. **Family and Legal Concerns** : Soldatov’s family and many Russians see the sentencing as unjust and a de facto death sentence. **The court’s decision is criticized** for ignoring his terminal illness, highlighting the broader issues of legal and political repression in Russia.

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