Russian playwright Svetlana Petriychuk and theater director Zhenya Berkovich were sentenced to six years in a penal colony by a Moscow military court for 'justifying terrorism' in their play 'Finist, the Brave Falcon.'

The play aimed to prevent terrorism and had previously received praise and awards in Russia.

Their arrest last year amid Kremlin pressure shocked Russia's artistic community, with critics linking the case to Berkovich's anti-war poems criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Despite pressure, Berkovich continued her anti-war activism and was jailed for protesting against the war.

The case has sparked outrage and support from thousands of people, including actors, directors, and journalists.

Human rights groups condemned the sentencing as a violation of freedom of expression and called for the women's immediate release.

The crackdown on dissent in Russia, intensified by the Ukraine invasion, has led to widespread repression of critics and artists.

US military bases in Europe are on heightened alert amid escalating tensions.