Russian terrorist Girkin guilty of downing MH17 detained by FSB on extremism charges
supplemented
Russian security forces detained the terrorist Igor Girkin (Strelkov), who criticized the military and political leadership of the Russian Federation for the "incorrect" conduct of the war, Russian propaganda media and his family reported.
The militant fought against Ukraine in 2014, he was found guilty of shooting down the Malaysian Boeing MH17 in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
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Girkin was detained by the representatives of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation this afternoon, his wife said.
A relative of the war criminal learned from friends that Girkin was charged with "extremism." Currently, she does not know about his whereabouts, and he has not been in contact.
Girkin was detained at home, his apartment is being searched, Russian news media Baza writes. The outlet also claims that Girkin was detained by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.
This is the first detention of the famous Z-blogger by the Russian authorities since the beginning of the invasion, writes Agentstvo.
This detention may indicate that the Russian authorities are revising a certain unspoken rule that allowed Z-bloggers to "virtually any" criticism of the Russian authorities, the publication suggests.
On the eve of the arrest, Girkin's Telegram channel featured "the harshest" attacks on the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and his alleged wife Alina Kabaeva, another Russian outlet Vyorstka notes.
It is not yet known why the Russian security forces accused Girkin of extremism.
Girkin fought against Ukraine during the Anti-Terrorist Operation in 2014 and was the "defense minister" of the militants. In particular, he commanded the occupiers in Slovyansk, Donetsk Oblast.
The District Court of The Hague sentenced Girkin to life in prison for the downing of Malaysian airliner Boeing MH17 in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
The Ministry of Defense explained that the criticism of the Russian leadership by Girkin and other Z-bloggers is part of the clan struggle within Russia.
