Putin pardoned Lerchek: criminal record cleared, blogger released from punishment — what is known about the president's decision
Vladimir Putin signed a decree pardoning the well-known Russian blogger Valeria Chekalina, better known as Lerchek. The president released her from the sentence imposed by the Gagarinsky District Court of Moscow on July 31, 2026, and also expunged her criminal record. The document is dated November 14, 2026.