A journalist in Krasnoyarsk is facing threats and spam after a local deputy publicly shared his contact information. Dmitry Mamaev, a journalist for NGS24.RU, had his phone number and correspondence details released by Elena Penzina, a deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory from the United Russia party.

The incident occurred after Mamaev sought clarification from Penzina regarding her proposal to revive SMERSH, a Soviet-era counterintelligence agency. Penzina initially made the proposal in her Telegram channel, suggesting that reorganizing counterintelligence organizations is a widely discussed topic. She argued that security is not solely the responsibility of security forces but requires cooperation with civilians, adding that she increasingly believes reviving SMERSH would be the right decision.

Mamaev then contacted Penzina to inquire about the modern application of SMERSH’s principles and the reasons for its revival. Penzina responded accusing the journalist of intending to write a “garbage publication” and distorting her post. She then posted a screenshot of their conversation on her Telegram channel, revealing Mamaev’s phone number.

Following the publication of his contact information, Mamaev experienced a surge of spam and threats. He reported receiving numerous spam messages, attempts to register his number on unknown platforms, and Telegram notifications indicating login attempts to third-party services. Mamaev has cautioned that any destructive content appearing on his social media accounts or online services should be considered the result of hacking. He has also filed a complaint with Roskomnadzor regarding the unauthorized distribution of his personal information.

Penzina has also claimed to be experiencing a spam attack on her phone following a previous publication about her on the NGS24.RU website. She stated that her phone is rendered unusable after every publication about her by the outlet.