Russian opposition figure Sergei Udaltsov sentenced to six years in prison

A Russian court has sentenced opposition activist Sergei Udaltsov to six years in a maximum-security penal colony after convicting him of justifying terrorism, Russian media reported on Thursday.

Udaltsov, a longtime critic of President Vladimir Putin and leader of the Left Front movement affiliated with the Communist Party, was arrested last year.

Prosecutors said the case stemmed from an online article in which he expressed support for other activists later convicted of terrorism-related charges.

A longtime critic of President Vladimir Putin

Udaltsov rejected the accusations as fabricated, calling the verdict "shameful," and announced he would go on a hunger strike, according to the local news.

A prominent figure during Russia's 2011-12 mass protests against election fraud, Udaltsov has previously served prison time over his role in anti-government demonstrations.

His sentencing comes amid an intensified crackdown on dissent in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, with authorities targeting opposition figures, independent media and civil society groups.