Russian satirist faces up to 8 years jail for sketch that mocks officials

Actor Andrei Neretin, who plays a role of Vitaly Nalivkin, a fictional regional official, poses in this undated handout photograph obtained by Reuters. Merkuriy LLC/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian satirical filmmaker was charged with hooliganism on Wednesday and could be jailed for up to eight years over a YouTube sketch in which a fictional local official accidentally blows up a bus stop, his lawyer told Reuters.

More than 1.78 million people have watched the Sept. 20 video "Vitaly Nalivkin prevented a terrorist act", in which the blundering official tries to destroy a suspicious bag at the bus stop by firing at it with a shoulder-launched grenade. The bag turns out to be filled with carrots.