Putin's purges continue: Igor Girkin, a former pro-Russian militia commander, popular blogger and war criminal, was arrested Friday on charges of "extremism."
Girkin, known to millions of listeners as "Strelkov," has become a fierce critic of Putin's rule and the conduct of the Russian military since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. Girkin believes that the Russian military has not adequately prepared for the war in Ukraine and accuses regime officials of corruption and helplessness in the face of the challenges of the war. Girkin has even shown courage and has been a direct critic of Putin in the past.
Russia: Nationalist who criticized Putin arrested // Photo: Reuters
Girkin was convicted last year, along with other pro-Russian separatists from Ukraine, of intercepting a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane over Ukrainian territory. The plane, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was full of Dutch citizens and nearly 300 people were killed in the explosion.
At the time, Girkin was leading a pro-Russian militia that took part in an insurgency fueled by Moscow against Ukrainian rule. This is not the first time the man has fought for Moscow's goals in various parts of the world. Girkin began fighting alongside pro-Russian separatists in Transnistria, a rebel republic in Moldova, and even participated in the Balkan Wars alongside the Serbian army, where he was accused of war crimes.
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