Moscow court sentences Russian blogger, anti-Putin critic for extremism

A Moscow court sentenced Russian blogger Igor Girkin to four years in prison Thursday, after finding him guilty of extremism charges for speaking out against Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the state-run media outlet TASS.

Girkin, a pro-Ukraine war blogger, was critical of Putin and had referred to him as a “lowlife” and a “cowardly bum” before his July arrest.

He was also sharply critical of Russia’s Defense Ministry and argued Moscow needed to drastically increase its war aims to win in Ukraine.

Girkin, a Russian army veteran and a former Federal Security Service officer, was instrumental in Russia’s pre-invasion conflict in eastern Ukraine.

He led separatist militia leaders in Donetsk and helped Moscow illegally annex the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

Girkin was also convicted in absentia in 2022 by a Dutch court that found him and two others guilty of the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, the former Russian officer became one of the more critical bloggers, often airing his concerns about the Kremlin with little filter.

While Russian bloggers have more freedom than media outlets, Girkin was far more brazen in his criticisms than other writers and often called Putin out by name.

After his arrest, he even suggested he would challenge Putin in the upcoming March presidential elections.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.