Ilya Remeslo, former pro-Kremlin blogger who informed on Alexei Navalny, detained for spreading fakes about Russian army

Ilya Remeslo, previously known as a pro-Kremlin blogger and informant, has been detained on charges of spreading 'fakes' about the Russian army, state news agency TASS reported, citing law enforcement agencies. The reason for the case has not been specified.

Sergei Badamshin, a lawyer representing Remeslo, said his client, who lives in St. Petersburg, was being taken to Moscow, where authorities will decide on his pretrial restriction.

Remeslo built his reputation as a pro-Kremlin blogger by fighting Alexei Navalny. He claimed that it was specifically his tip to authorities about the politician that led to a criminal fraud case involving donations.

In March, Remeslo publicly turned on Vladimir Putin, accusing the president of starting the war, damaging Russia's economy, imposing censorship on the internet and media, seizing power, and suppressing the opposition.

Several days after his post, he was placed in a psychiatric hospital. Some pro-government bloggers believed the hospitalization was an attempt to avoid criminal prosecution for his criticism of Putin.

Remeslo left the hospital after 30 days and gave a lengthy interview to Ksenia Sobchak, in which he discussed his hospitalization, his shift in political views, his earnings from his work for the Kremlin, his fight against Navalny, and his feelings about the politician's death.