Overview
- Vidnovsky City Court in Moscow Oblast found Nikita Vartikov guilty of attempted sale under Articles 30 and 228.1 and ordered eight years in a strict‑regime colony.
- The court credited his pre‑trial detention, ordered the seized marijuana destroyed, and transferred his mobile phone to the state.
- Prosecutors said police in March 2024 seized more than 900 grams of plant material and seven cannabis plants from a rented flat with a grow setup in Sovkhoz im. Lenina.
- Earlier materials referenced 22 pots at the scene, a figure reduced to seven plants in the final indictment, according to the case file.
- The defense argues the evidence does not prove intent to distribute and says it will appeal, while Vartikov admitted cultivation and use, expressed remorse, and asked for a non‑custodial sentence.