Ex-secret service officer and ultra-nationalist Igor Girkin, known by the pseudonym Igor Strelkov, has been arrested in Moscow, according to his wife. Miroslava Reginskaya said on Girkin’s Telegram channel on Friday that he was accused of extremism. Officials of the Commission of Inquiry took him away. Nothing is known about his whereabouts.
Girkin’s lawyer told the state news agency Tass that he was unsure why his client had been arrested. The media portal RBC, citing law enforcement officials, reported that Girkin’s Moscow apartment had been searched and he had been arrested following a complaint from a former associate of the Wagner mercenary group. The authorities initially did not comment on this.
The former officer of the domestic secret service FSB is considered a clear supporter of the Russian offensive war against Ukraine, but he has increasingly criticized the conduct of the war. He accused the military leadership in Moscow of incompetence and corruption. He also called for even tougher and more ruthless action in Ukraine. He initially criticized Chief of Staff Valeri Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, but recently his accusations have increasingly focused on President Vladimir Putin, whom he accused of inaction.
Then, in May, Girkin announced that he and others had formed the “Furious Patriots Club” to go into politics and save Russia from what he described as the threat of turmoil over military failures in Ukraine. When asked at the time if he was naive to think he could start a political movement without the approval of the Kremlin, he replied, “I hope you don’t call me naive.”
In one of his most outspoken tirades last Tuesday, Girkin personally insulted Putin in a post on his official account on Telegram, which was read by more than 760,000 people. He urged him to “hand over power to someone who is truly capable and responsible”. He also claimed that another coup was imminent and spoke openly about the balance of power in the Kremlin, as you can read here.
The arrest suggests authorities have grown weary of Girkin’s criticism of the so-called special military operation in Ukraine – as the war is officially known in Russia. It also follows the failed uprising last month by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, who also sharply criticized the military leadership.
Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov, was considered untouchable by many because of his background and connections to the authorities. He was instrumental in Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and subsequently organized pro-Russian militias that took control of areas in eastern Ukraine. He was sentenced in absentia to life in prison by a Dutch court last year for his alleged role in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, which killed 298 passengers and crew.
According to Tatyana Stanovaya, founder of the analysis company R.Politik, influential people in the authorities have long wanted to arrest Girkin. “Strelkov (Girkin) crossed all imaginable boundaries a long time ago,” she said. “This is a direct result of the Prigozhin mutiny: the army command now has more political leverage to repress their opponents in public.” Girkin’s arrest is a signal that one of the harshest critics of Moscow’s war strategy can expect prosecution.
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I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
