War criminal Igor Strelkov, jailed in Russia for hardline Kremlin criticism, seeks to enlist in the military

Miroslava Reginskaya, the wife of internationally convicted war criminal Igor Strelkov (legal surname — Girkin), who was recently sentenced by a Russian court to four years in prison on extremism charges for criticizing the Kremlin in his pro-war Telegram posts, said Wednesday that Strelkov has been approved by a Russian military unit to serve as a platoon commander in Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk region.

Reginskaya published a letter purportedly sent by an army unit in the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” to military officials in Moscow. The document says that the unit has considered Strelkov’s candidacy for platoon commander and asks that the necessary documents be sent to the unit commander.

Russian media reported earlier that Strelkov’s defense team has requested that he be allowed to enlist in the army. While Russian law prevents citizens convicted of extremism from entering into military contracts, Strelkov’s lawyer said that his client’s enlistment may still be possible, though he didn’t explain how.

The Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Novosti reported that the lawyer “sees two possible solutions: an acquittal or a presidential pardon.” Strelkov’s appeal hearing is scheduled for May 15.