Russian opposition activist placed in custody on charges linked to online comment

By The Associated Press

A Moscow court has ruled that a left-wing opposition activist who had criticized the Kremlin but backed the war in Ukraine should remain in custody pending trial on charges linked to his online comment. The district court ruled Friday to keep Sergei Udaltsov in custody until Feb. 15 on charges of “justifying terrorism.” Udaltsov said the accusations relate to his posts in support of members of a Marxist group who were arrested for creating a “terrorist community” in Ufa, about 1,400 kilometers east of Moscow. He could face five years in prison if convicted. Udaltsov, the leader of the Left Front, has been critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin but supported Moscow’s war in Ukraine.