By AFP 21 July 2023 | 12:13 pm Former separatist commander and nationalist blogger Igor Girkin, better known by his alias Igor Strelkov, has been detained after sharply criticising Russian President Vladimir Putin, his lawyer said on Friday. (FILES) Igor Strelkov, who is also known as Igor Girkin, the top military commander of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic”, delivers a press conference on July 28, 2014 in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. – Former separatist commander and nationalist blogger Igor Girkin, better known by his alias Igor Strelkov, has been detained after criticising Russian President Vladimir Putin, his lawyer said on July 21, 2023. (Photo by Bulent KILIC / AFP) Former separatist commander and nationalist blogger Igor Girkin, better known by his alias Igor Strelkov, has been detained after sharply criticising Russian President Vladimir Putin, his lawyer said on Friday. Girkin’s detention came in the aftermath of a short-lived rebellion of the mercenary group Wagner that many analysts saw as the greatest challenge to Putin’s rule. “He has been detained by law enforcement,” lawyer Alexander Molokhov told AFP. A message on social media from Girkin’s wife Miroslava Reginskaya said he had been detained for “extremism”. Molokhov said he had not seen any documents relating to Girkin’s detention yet and was now working to secure access to his client. A former military commander of the Donetsk People’s Republic, 52-year-old Girkin was one of the key figures in the pro-Kremlin insurgency when fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014. In 2022, he was one of three men sentenced by a Dutch court to life imprisonment over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014. In recent years Girkin has become one of the most vocal critics of Putin, and most recently of the way in which Russia’s offensive in Ukraine has been conducted. In one of his most recent posts, Girkin urged Putin to hand over power to a successor. “The country will not survive another six years of this cowardly mediocrity in power,” he wrote on messaging app Telegram where he is followed by more than 800,000 people. Russia is set to hold a presidential election next year. Criticism of Russia’s assault on Ukraine has been outlawed, and all key liberal opposition figures are either behind bars or in exile. Latest 21 mins ago A 47-year-old man, Taiwo Oluyemi, was on Friday arraigned in an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly obtaining the sum of N410,000 from two females, to process traveling documents for them. 1 hour ago FAST-rising rap artiste, Dandizzy, is back with an exhilarating banger dubbed, “Morale.” The release marks an exciting milestone in Dandizzy’s career, building anticipation for his forthcoming album. As one of the most highly regarded rap artists of this generation, Dandizzy has consistently showcased his talent, garnering a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim. His unique… 1 hour ago The Borno Government is to provide special scholarship to indigent students studying nursing and midwifery. 1 hour ago The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA), has canvassed for digital learning to reposition the secondary school education in order to achieve a transformed nation. It also emphasized that quality education for secondary students would help in developing economies and opportunities for growth. The President General, of USOSA, Mr Michael Magaji, disclosed this in Abuja,… 1 hour ago Bayer Leverkusen have edged closer to signing Nigerian striker, Victor Boniface from Union Saint-Gilloise for a fee which is reported to be worth more than €20 million.
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