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Detained Russian Opposition Leader Hospitalized After Hunger Strike

Sergei Udaltsov (Alexander Demyanchuk / TASS)

Russia’s leftist opposition leader, Sergei Udaltsov, who was detained last week for organizing protests against government plans to raise the retirement age, has been hospitalized after a week on hunger strike.

Udaltsov announced a hunger strike after being detained for 30 days last Wednesday for leading protests against the retirement age hike. The leader of the Left Front political group previously spent 4.5 years in prison for organizing protests on the eve of President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration in 2012.

Udaltsov’s Twitter account announced that the far-left activist had been hospitalized on Sunday with dehydration.

“Sergei continues the hunger strike. He doesn’t drink and gets nutrients injected intravenously,” his wife, Anastasia Udaltsova, told Interfax on Monday.

The opposition leader was taken back to prison later in the day, his account tweeted.

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