Imprisoned nationalist Igor Girkin announced on Thursday his candidacy for the Russian presidency in 2024 to replace Vladimir Putin. The blogger considers the current president of the Russian Federation “too nice”, especially to Westerners.
Imprisoned nationalist Igor Girkin announced on Thursday his candidacy for the Russian presidency in 2024 to replace a “too nice” Vladimir Putin with someone who will not let Westerners “lead him by the nose”. “I think I’m more competent in military affairs than the outgoing president,” the 52-year-old former Kremlin supporter, who became a virulent critic of power following the offensive in Ukraine, declared on Telegram that he argues but sees it as clumsily conducted.
Arrested in July in the beginning of a repression of power within Russian nationalist circles, this veteran of several conflicts is now awaiting trial behind bars for “public calls for extremist activities”. He faces up to five years in prison in this case, which could hamper his electoral ambitions if convicted.
Convicted in the Netherlands in absentia
Published on his Telegram channel followed by more than 730,000 people, the announcement of his candidacy had already received 13,000 “likes” by midday, while his voice carries among those who criticize the Russian military high command, which he accuses of incompetence. “I do not have a millionaire friend” like Vladimir Putin “and therefore I will not have to give in to their demands to the detriment of the Russian economy”, assured the opponent turned military blogger, better known under the pseudonym of “Strelkov” (the shooter, in Russian).
Igor Girkin is nevertheless reputed to be close to the ultranationalist oligarch Konstantin Malofeïev. Under Western sanctions and a time leader of separatists in Ukraine, Igor Girkin was sentenced in the Netherlands to life imprisonment in absentia for his role in the downing over Ukraine of the plane of flight MH17 of the Malaysia Airlines in 2014, which claimed 298 lives.