Overview

• Sergei Udaltsov, a Russian pro-war activist and critic of President Vladimir Putin, has been detained and charged with 'justifying terrorism', according to his lawyer.
• Udaltsov is the leader of the Left Front, a group of political parties that oppose Putin and are affiliated with the Communist Party.
• Despite being a critic of Putin, Udaltsov has supported the war and the annexation of Crimea.
• Udaltsov was prominent during the 2011-12 protests that saw the biggest demonstrations in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and was briefly allied with now-imprisoned opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
• If found guilty, Udaltsov could face a prison sentence of five to seven years.