Another political activist under investigation for extremism has fled Russia

Ruslan Galiullin, a supporter of Vyacheslav Maltsev’s banned “Artpodgotovka” movement, has fled Russia, according to the website OVD-Info. Galiullin says he’s currently somewhere in Europe. Federal agents detained him on November 4 on suspicion of extremist activity and later released him, after he promised not to leave the country.

• Vyacheslav Maltsev him has been living in exile since the summer of 2017. In late October, a Russian court convicted him in absentia of extremism and banned his political movement.
• In November, dozens of Maltsev’s followers were detained throughout Russia, as the Artpodgotovka attempted to stage nationwide protests. Police have brought criminal charges against five other Maltsev supporters, as well.