The arrest of pro-war nationalist and Putin critic Girkin was announced by his wife

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian nationalist Igor Girkin, one of Vladimir Putin’s most strident commentators but whose criticism has been tolerated until now, has been arrested, his wife said on Friday.

The former commander of pro-Russian forces in Donetsk, Ukraine, also known as Igor Strelkov, helped Russia annex Crimea in 2014 and then organized pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine.

Igor Girkin, who announced earlier this year that he was entering politics, has been critical of President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu over their handling of the invasion of Ukraine.

“Today, at about 11:30, representatives of the Investigative Committee came to our house. I was not at home. According to the concierge, they immediately grabbed my husband and took him away in an unknown direction,” Miroslava Reginskaya said on her husband’s official Telegram account.

According to friends of Miroslava Reginskaya, Igor Girkin has been accused of extremism.

“I don’t know where my husband is, he hasn’t contacted me,” she said.

Officials did not immediately comment.

(Report Reuters; French edition Kate Enstringer)