A Russian singer who burned his passport in a protest against the war in Ukraine has been sentenced to more than five years in prison.

Eduard Charlotte was arrested in November 2023 after footage emerged of him burning his passport in June of the same year.

He also recorded himself nailing a photograph of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, his military ID, and a cross to a tree.

Criminal cases were opened against the singer for 'rehabilitation of Nazism', 'insulting the feelings of believers', 'inciting hatred' and the deliberate destruction of an official document.

Russian prosecutors requested a sentence of seven years and five months in prison for the singer.

In January 2024, Charlotte wrote a letter of repentance to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In July, Charlotte's lawyer published a video in which his client asks Patriarch Kirill and all Orthodox Christians for forgiveness for insulting religion.

Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Orthodox Church in Russia, reportedly forgave Charlotte and asked the court to drop the charges of 'insulting the feelings of believers.'

Russian media reported that none of this stopped prosecutors or the court from continuing the prosecution and extending his detention.

The Prosecutor's Office of the Samara Region of the Russian Federation said on December 27: 'The Samara Regional Court has handed down a sentence in the criminal case against Eduard Charlotte.

'He was found guilty under Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (rehabilitation of Nazism), Part 1 of Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the right to freedom of conscience and religion).

'The court found that in 2023, Charlotte posted videos on his personal page on a social network aimed at desecrating symbols of Russia's military glory, as well as expressing obvious disrespect for memorable dates in Russian history associated with the defence of the Fatherland.

'Charlotte also recorded and distributed a video in which he defaced his military ID, religious photographs, and symbols.

'The court, taking into account the opinion of the prosecutor, sentenced Charlotte to five years and six months of imprisonment in a penal colony with the deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to the administration of websites using the Internet for four years.'

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in what the Kremlin is still calling a 'special military operation'.

The conflict is still ongoing with public support from Europe and the United States fading and businesses reopening their ties with Russia.

Deserters have fled both countries for safer climbs in Europe and Asia.