Igor Strelkov pleaded not guilty at the first substantive hearing

The former leader of the Donetsk separatists, FSB reserve colonel Igor Strelkov (Gyrkin) pleaded not guilty to extremism on Thursday during the first substantive hearing in the Moscow City Court.

This is reported by TASS with reference to the lawyer of the defendant Haji Aliyev. “During the session, the indictment was read to Strelkov. My client categorically disagreed with the arguments of this document and did not admit guilt,” the lawyer said. According to him, Strelkov did not call for the implementation of extremist activities, “and the motive for placing the posts was to draw attention to the problems of servicemen mobilized in the DPR due to non-payment of the monetary allowance that they were supposed to receive, and the prevention of military mutiny on their part.”

It is noted that Igor Strelkov has already testified in court. In this regard, his second lawyer, Alexander Molokhov, said that defendants usually do this at the end of the trial. “But our protégé is fighting with an open visor, because he has nothing to hide,” BFM quoted Molokhov as saying.

“Ihor Ivanovich decided on his own initiative to give evidence at the very beginning of the judicial investigation, as he has nothing to hide from the justice system,” said a message on the Telegram channel of Strelkov’s supporters. Among other things, the text states that he never opposed Russia’s policy towards Ukraine after the start of a full-scale war. “He did not have and does not have any criminal intent aimed at inciting an unlimited number of Internet users to carry out extremist activities,” the message of “Russian Movement of Strelkov” emphasizes.

Hearings are held behind closed doors. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for December 20. It is expected that on this day the court will begin questioning witnesses.

• A criminal case against Strelkov was initiated on July 18 of this year, and three days later he was detained in Moscow. The so-called ex-head of the Ministry of Defense “DNR” was charged under the article on calls for extremist activity. The reason was ego’s posts in the Telegram channel. The defendant faces up to 5 years in prison.