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Russian Protest Leader In Court To Face Assault Charge


Activist Sergei Udaltsov is detained by police during an opposition rally near Patriarch's Ponds in Moscow on May 9.
Activist Sergei Udaltsov is detained by police during an opposition rally near Patriarch's Ponds in Moscow on May 9.
Ulyanovsk, Russia -- The leader of Russia's opposition Left Front, Sergei Udaltsov, has arrived at a court in the city of Ulyanovsk to face charges that he assaulted a female journalist.

The journalist, Anna Pozdnyakova, claims Udaltsov hit her during an interview at anti-NATO rally in Ulyanovsk on April 21.

Udaltsov has denied he attacked Pozdnyakova, who is an activist in the pro-Kremlin Young Guard movement.

A video appeared on YouTube allegedly showing Udaltsov hitting Pozdnyakova.

Udaltsov's wife reportedly placed a video clip on his twitter page that shows there was no assault.

Udaltsov was just released from detention after serving a brief jail term for resisting arrest at a demonstration in early May.

With additional reporting by Interfax
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