Lida Moniava, a prominent Russian charity worker known for helping seriously ill and disabled children, is facing years in prison after being charged with spreading “false information” about the Russian military.
Moniava, 38, has spent much of her life supporting children in need. She began volunteering when she was a teenager and later became one of Russia’s best-known charity leaders. In 2013, she helped establish Moscow’s first hospice for terminally ill children and later founded the charity House with the Lighthouse.
Her organisation provides medicines, medical equipment, nurses, nannies and home-based support to children and their families. In 2025, the foundation reportedly raised more than 1.2 billion rubles for its work.
Her latest legal troubles stem from a Telegram post published in 2023. In the post, Moniava cited United Nations figures on civilian casualties during the war in Ukraine and appealed for assistance for Ukrainian refugees living in Russia.
Earlier this month, authorities arrested her, placed her under supervised curfew and required her to wear an electronic ankle monitor while she awaits trial.
The case has drawn concern from Russian civil society and supporters who say Moniava has become a target because of her criticism of the war. Nobel Peace Prize winner and journalist Dmitry Muratov described her as someone who stood “on the side of life” during a court hearing in Moscow.
Moniava became increasingly involved in humanitarian work after Russia launched its military offensive against Ukraine in 2022. She created a project to help Ukrainian refugees in Russia, assisting around 17,000 people during its first three years.
She has also faced previous action over her social media activity. In February, she was fined for allegedly “discrediting” the Russian army after posting criticism of the military operation.
Despite the risks, Moniava has refused to leave Russia. She has said that leaving would mean abandoning children who depend on her organisation for care and support.
“I cannot stay silent as if there is no war,” she said, while acknowledging that she understood the risks of remaining in the country.
Moniava has now stepped down as director of her foundation so that its work can continue despite her legal problems.
Her supporters say the prosecution is particularly troubling because of her long record of humanitarian service. The case comes amid a wider crackdown in Russia on critics of the Ukraine war, many of whom have faced imprisonment, exile or other forms of state pressure.
For those who have benefited from her charity, Moniava remains a symbol of compassion and support for vulnerable children, even as she faces an uncertain legal future.
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