Russian investigators took prominent Russian nationalist and military veteran Igor Girkin into custody on Friday for criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian performance in the War in Ukraine.

Miroslava Reginskaya, Girkin’s wife, informed the public about his detention. According to her statement on Girkin’s Telegram channel, representatives of the Investigative Committee came to their home and took Girkin away. Reginskaya says Girkin has not contacted her since, and she does not know where he is being held.

According to the Meshchansky Court of Moscow, Girkin is charged under Part 2 of Art. 280, which pertains to making public calls for extremist activities through media or the Internet. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison.

Girkin posted an accusation directed at Putin on his official Telegram channel on Tuesday, calling his presidency “cowardly mediocrity” and calling for the “transfer of power to someone truly capable and responsible.”

In the statement issued by Girkin’s nationalist organization, the “Club of Angry Patriots,” the group claimed Girkin’s detention undermines the country’s confidence in law enforcement and is a continuation of the unfair treatment of Girkin. They expressed “unconditional support” for him and demanded his release as well as transparency regarding those responsible for his arrest.

Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov, is a former FSB officer known for his alleged role in the shootdown of MH17 by pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine. A Dutch court sentenced him in absentia to life imprisonment in November 2022 for causing the crash.

In May, Girkin and other pro-war Russian nationalists established the “Club of Angry Patriots,” aiming to voice opposition to Russia’s military leadership and their setbacks during the War in Ukraine.