Ruslan Sokolovsky, 22, was charged with inciting religious hatred after publishing video footage of him playing the popular mobile game in the Yekaterinburg church where the last Russian tsar was killed.

He has also been charged with the smaller offence of insulting the feelings of religious believers.

Sokolovsky faces a jail sentence of up to seven and a half years in prison if he is convicted.

He has been in pre-trial detention since October when a court reversed his house arrest.