A Moscow court has sentenced exiled journalist and YouTuber Yury Dud to 1 year and 10 months in prison in absentia for breaching Russia’s “foreign agent” legislation, authorities announced on Friday.

The Basmanny District Court found Dud guilty of repeatedly failing to adhere to the obligations imposed on individuals designated as “foreign agents.”

This sentence represents the first instance of actual prison time resulting from violations of the “foreign agent” laws, as reported by the exiled news outlet Mediazona.

The Russian Ministry of Justice designated Dud as a “foreign agent” in April 2022, just weeks after he criticized Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He left the country shortly thereafter and has been living abroad since then.

According to the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office, Dud posted two messages on social media in May 2025 that did not include the required label indicating they were created or disseminated by a “foreign agent.”

His sentence, which has not yet taken effect, will commence upon his extradition to Russia or if he is arrested within the country, according to a statement from the Moscow court system.

Russian law stipulates that repeated violations of the “foreign agent” requirements can result in a maximum prison term of two years.

Dud had previously faced fines on two occasions for not properly labeling his online content in accordance with the “foreign agent” regulations.

As of now, he has not provided any remarks regarding the prison sentence announced on Friday.

Dud’s YouTube channel, which he started in 2017, has amassed over 10 million subscribers and showcases interviews with various figures, including politicians, musicians, journalists, and business leaders.