Former leader of Russian-backed militants Girkin arrested in Russia on charges of extremism

This was reported by RIA Novosti and the Russian BBC.

"The Meshchansky court arrested Strelkov on charges of calling for extremist activities," the statement says. 

The BBC reports that he was sent to a pre-trial detention center until September 18.

The alleged detention of Girkin was reported by the Russian news agency RBC.

It is noted that law enforcement officers took Girkin from his home in the afternoon. Employees of the Investigative Committee are conducting a search in his apartment.

The Russian media reported that, according to preliminary data, the detention was carried out at the request of a former Wagner PMC employee. 

Later, a message allegedly from his wife Miroslava Reginskaya appeared on Girkin's Telegram channel.

"Today, at about 11:30 a.m., representatives of the Investigative Committee came to our house. I was not at home at that time. Soon, according to the concierge, they took my husband under the arms and drove him away in an unknown direction. I managed to find out from my friends that my husband was charged under Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (extremism)," the statement says. 

According to Reginskaya, she does not know anything about her husband's whereabouts, and he has not contacted her. At the time of the arrest, the woman was not at home.

Ukraine's response

A representative of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, Andriy Yusov, called Girkin's detention "a feature of the Putin regime" during a telethon.

According to him, Girkin has never been an independent figure. His detention indicates that an active confrontation has begun between the Kremlin towers.

"This is good news. The can of worms is still moving. We can wish success to all participants in the process," Yusov said.

What is known about Girkin

Igor Girkin (Strelkov) is a Russian military officer, blogger, White Movement ideologue, writer, retired Russian Armed Forces officer, former FSB colonel, war criminal, and terrorist. He was a participant in the Russian war against Ukraine in Crimea, Donbas, and during the 2022 invasion on the side of Russia. Girkin also participated in the wars in Transnistria, Bosnia, and Chechnya.

Since 2014, he has been the head of the Novorossiya terrorist group and the head of the January 25 Committee. He is a former leader of the pro-Russian terrorist military group "People's Militia of Donbas".

After the Russian invasion of Crimea began, Girkin headed a sabotage unit, organized a gathering of Crimean deputies to call an illegal referendum, and commanded the storming of a photogrammetric center in Simferopol. In April 2014, he and his unit crossed the border of Ukraine in the Donetsk region and led the capture of Sloviansk, thus starting hostilities in Donbas.

Later, the terrorist became the first "minister of defense" of the so-called "DPR" and commander-in-chief of the "Army of Novorossiya". In August 2014, simultaneously with the beginning of the invasion of Donbas by Russian regular troops, he moved back to Russia.

The SBU and the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine opened cases against Girkin for terrorism, violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, torture and premeditated murder.

In 2019, the Netherlands put Girkin on the international wanted list as a person involved in the downing of Boeing MH-17.

In October 2022, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported that Girkin was in the occupied territory and announced a USD 100,000 reward for his capture.

On November 17, the verdict in the MH17 case was announced in The Hague: the militants of the Russian-controlled "DPR", led by Girkin, were sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment. Russia said it would not extradite Girkin, who was sentenced to life in prison by the Hague tribunal, to the Netherlands.

On December 6, the former field commander of the "DPR" militants returned to Moscow.