Putin Critic Udaltsov Gets 6 Years in Jail for Terrorism Justification
Russian court sentences Putin critic Sergei Udaltsov to 6 years for justifying terrorism.
A Russian court on Thursday sentenced opposition activist Sergei Udaltsov to six years in prison after convicting him of justifying terrorism. Udaltsov, a well-known critic of President Vladimir Putin and leader of the Left Front movement, was arrested last year and has consistently denied all charges against him.
According to independent Russian outlet Mediazona, the case against Udaltsov was linked to an article he published online expressing support for a group of activists accused of forming a terrorist organization. That group was convicted earlier this month and received prison sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years, a ruling that has drawn criticism from rights observers.
Udaltsov rejected the verdict as politically motivated and described it as “shameful.” Following the court’s decision, he announced that he would begin a hunger strike in protest. The ruling also stated that he would serve his sentence in a maximum-security penal colony.
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The activist rose to prominence during Russia’s 2011–2012 mass protests, which erupted after allegations of widespread fraud in parliamentary elections. He was among the leading opposition figures of the movement and even participated in a 2012 meeting between then-President Dmitry Medvedev and opposition leaders.
Russian authorities have significantly intensified their crackdown on dissent since the invasion of Ukraine, targeting opposition figures, independent journalists, civil society groups, and activists. Hundreds have been imprisoned, while thousands have fled the country amid growing restrictions on free speech and political activity.
This is not Udaltsov’s first conviction. He was previously jailed in 2014 for organizing protests against Putin and released in 2017. In December 2023, he was also sentenced to compulsory labor for violating rally procedures, highlighting what critics describe as sustained pressure on long-standing opponents of the Kremlin.
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