Sergei Udaltsov, a prominent pro-war activist and vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been convicted in a Russian court on charges of justifying terrorism. The verdict, delivered on Thursday, resulted in a six-year prison sentence, which Udaltsov is mandated to serve in a maximum security penal colony.

Udaltsov, who leads the Left Front movement—a group that openly opposes Putin and is affiliated with the Communist party—was initially arrested last year. According to reports from the independent Russian news site Mediazona, the charges against him are rooted in an article he published online. This article expressed support for another collective of Russian activists who were themselves accused of forming a terrorist organization. These particular activists had been convicted earlier in the month and received lengthy sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years in prison.

Reacting to the court's decision, Udaltsov vehemently rejected the charges, labeling them as fabricated. He publicly denounced the verdict as “shameful” and, as reported by Mediazona, declared his intention to commence a hunger strike in protest.

Udaltsov has a long history as a significant opposition figure within Russia. He gained prominence during the widespread mass protests of 2011-2012, which were ignited by allegations of extensive rigging in a parliamentary election. His influence was such that in February 2012, he participated in a meeting convened by then-president Dmitry Medvedev with various opposition leaders, highlighting his stature in the political landscape at the time.

This recent conviction of Udaltsov takes place amidst a broader and intensified crackdown on dissent and free speech by Russian authorities. Since the Kremlin dispatched troops into Ukraine, the government has relentlessly targeted a wide array of groups, including human rights organizations, independent media outlets, members of civil society organizations, LGBTQ+ activists, and certain religious communities. This oppressive environment has led to the imprisonment of hundreds of individuals, with thousands more choosing to flee the country.

Udaltsov's legal troubles are not new. In December 2023, a Moscow court had sentenced him to 40 hours of compulsory labor. This was for violating procedures related to organizing a rally, specifically after he was detained on Red Square while attempting to unfurl a flag bearing the image of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, as detailed by Russia’s state news agency Tass. Furthermore, he had previously been imprisoned for 4.5 years, from 2014 until his release in 2017, on charges linked to his role in orchestrating a 2012 demonstration against Putin that became turbulent.