Lifetime of Repression: 86‑Year‑Old Aleksandr Ursu Faces Criminal Prosecution for Faith

Aleksandr Ursu, a resident of the Crimean city of Dzhankoy, has faced repression for his faith for almost his entire life: childhood spent in exile, a series of searches in recent years, and the arrest of his son Viktor. On April 28, 2026, law enforcement officers once again searched Aleksandr's home. This time, a criminal case was opened against him.

The operation was conducted by investigator Anna Romanova, accompanied by attesting witnesses and an FSB officer. Family members report that the latter behaved aggressively; it later emerged that he had previously taken part in investigative actions in Viktor's case as well. Officers seized personal notes, mobile phones, an internet router, and flash drives. In addition, they took the elderly couple's personal savings—about 100,000 rubles.

Aleksandr has encountered similar actions by law enforcement more than once. During a search in 2018, officers used force against him: they knocked the man to the ground and twisted his arms behind his back, leaving him with abrasions and bruises. At the time, Aleksandr was 78 years old. Five years later, officers came again—this time arresting Aleksandr's son. Viktor Ursu is currently serving a six‑year prison sentence imposed by the court.

In early April 2026, the 75th anniversary of Operation "North" was marked, as the international community recalled Stalin‑era repression and the deportation of Jehovah's Witnesses to Siberia. Today, Russian law enforcement agencies have subjected nearly 1,000 Jehovah's Witnesses to criminal prosecution, at least 37 of them in Crimea.