She fled Russia for Armenia, then insulted its summer water festival. Now Russian blogger Nadezhda Pirozhkova faces up to four years in prison for ‘incitement to hatred.’

A Russian blogger now faces criminal charges in Armenia after publicly criticizing the country's Vardavar water festival on social media. Meduza reports that Nadezhda Pirozhkova posted on Instagram calling the tradition, where people spray each other with water, disrespectful and aggressive. Her comments sparked viral attention—more than two hundred fifty thousand views and thousands of comments from both Armenians and members of the Russian diaspora condemning her remarks. She subsequently posted an apology saying she didn't intend to disrespect Armenian people, but critics dismissed it as insincere. Armenia's Investigative Committee charged her with incitement to hatred, an offense punishable by up to four years in prison. She's under a travel ban following detention. Notably, Pirozhkova has since used the controversy to boost her Instagram presence, discussing how the viral moment expanded her reach and attracted new followers.

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