MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. Moscow's Basmanny Court has ordered the arrest and detention of Mikhail Dariy, 47, a Moscow Region resident, accused of recruiting fighters for Ukraine’s nationalist Azov battalion (banned in Russia as a designated terrorist organization) via the Internet, according to the text of the court’s arrest order.

"The accused Dariy shall be detained until November 9, 2023. The motion by the accused that an alternative restraint measure be selected is hereby dismissed," the court ruled.

The court noted that Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Dariy under Part 2, Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code ("Public Calls for Terrorist Activity Using the Internet"). According to investigators, Dariy has committed the crime twice.

"The investigative authorities believe that from May 19, 2023 to September 9, 2023 in Moscow, Dariy, as a member of the terrorist organization Ukrainian paramilitary association Azov, for the purposes of committing public calls for the implementation of terrorist activities and participation in a banned organization, and the recruitment of new participants, as well as the commission of terrorist acts by its participants, provided information to at least 12 persons with statements expressing an incentive to commit acts of violence, causing harm and damage, as well as the need to commit such acts under his personal instruction," the court stated.

According to the investigation, Dariy acted together with accomplices who are still unidentified. It was established that he has two valid passports, meaning that he could hide from law enforcement agencies if he is left at large. The accused has already been tried.

Dariy himself partially admitted his guilt, but pointed out that he was not personally a member of any terrorist organization, including Azov. He asked that he be banned from certain actions instead of being arrested. However, the court did not concur with the defendant's arguments. His lawyer has already filed an appeal against the arrest order.