[Regnum] Former Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People's Republic Igor Girkin (call sign: Strelkov), convicted of calls for extremism, was transferred to a penal colony, his wife Miroslava Reginskaya reported on her Telegram channel.
“According to information received from the lawyer, this morning, June 27, Igor Strelkov was transferred to a penal colony,” she wrote.
The ex-minister’s wife noted that she was not informed which colony her husband was sent to.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, on May 29, the first appellate court of general jurisdiction upheld Strelkov's four-year sentence. Following the appellate court's verdict, the sentence came into force and is subject to execution.
The former minister was detained on July 21, 2023, he publicly called on Internet users to engage in extremist activities. On January 25, 2024, the Moscow City Court sentenced the former Minister of Defense of the DPR to four years in a general regime colony.
In April 2024, the convicted man's lawyer announced his desire to participate in the SVO in Ukraine. A document was attached to the appeal stating that one of the front-line military units agreed to sign a contract with Strelkov.
In 2014, he led a militia unit for several months during battles with the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Slavyansk (DPR). In early July 2014, Strelkov's unit retreated from the city on his orders. From May to August 2014, he commanded the DPR Armed Forces. In May 2014, he was appointed Minister of Defense of the republic. In August of the same year, Strelkov was dismissed.