School leaver confronted with a seven-year sentence for allegedly attempting to join the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (RDC)

In the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia, a 17-year-old athlete named Vadim Tomilov found himself at the centre of a heated controversy earlier this year.

Tomilov, a promising competitor in sambo and arm wrestling, had a bright future ahead of him. He placed third in the Russian sambo championships and first in arm wrestling competitions in 2021. His athletic achievements earned him a place among the city's school subject Olympiad winners and governor's scholarship applicants for the 2023-2024 academic year.

However, Tomilov's life took an unexpected turn on May 9, 2024, when he was detained at a hostel in Yekaterinburg. His family reported him missing to the police when he disappeared, but it was later revealed that he had contacted his parents himself, informing them he was coming home before his arrest.

The reasons behind Tomilov's detention remain unclear, but allegations have surfaced suggesting a connection to the "Russian Volunteer Corps," a group deemed terrorist and extremist by Rosfinmonitoring. According to reports, Ukrainian intelligence services claimed that Tomilov was planning to travel to Tbilisi for an "in-person meeting with an RDK representative" and join the "Russian Volunteer Corps" on Ukrainian territory.

FSB officers allegedly found evidence during a search of Tomilov, including a belt with a Third Reich insignia on the buckle, a ticket to Tbilisi with a departure date of May 11, and a Telegram bot where he allegedly filled out an application to join a military unit. However, his relatives dispute these claims, stating that the first protocol regarding his arrest contains false information, including accusations that Tomilov was "ideologized by Nazism" since he was 16 and that he planned to "kill Russian people."

The case against Tomilov was opened under the article on "attempting to join a terrorist organization." Since his detention, he has been held at SIZO-1 in Yekaterinburg. Reports suggest that Tomilov was allegedly beaten and threatened by FSB officers, and human rights activists claim that he spent some time in cells adjacent to American journalist Evan Gershkovich.

Despite the allegations against Tomilov, his family and friends maintain his innocence. They insist that reports that his parents "turned him in" are untrue, and that Tomilov was a dedicated athlete who trained in sambo and cross-country skiing at the Irbit children's and youth sports school.

The case of Vadim Tomilov continues to spark debate and concern, with many questioning the circumstances surrounding his arrest and detention. As the legal proceedings unfold, the public awaits further developments in this complex and intriguing story.