Presidential elections in Russia: Hundreds support the candidacy of jailed hardliner Igor Girkin in Moscow

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Hundreds of supporters of jailed former separatist leader Igor Girkin, 53, supported his candidacy for next year’s Russian presidential elections at a rally in Moscow. More than 300 of them gathered at a hotel in the Russian capital on Sunday to campaign for Girkin. Among them were many women, elderly people and military veterans. Some wore T-shirts with Girkin’s face and the slogan “Freedom for Strelkov,” his pseudonym.

Girkin rose to prominence in 2014 as a commander of separatists in the internationally unrecognized Donetsk People’s Republic during the Kremlin-backed uprising in eastern Ukraine. The military blogger supports the current Russian offensive in Ukraine, but strongly condemns the military strategy as not powerful enough.

Girkin wants to be president

After a series of critical online posts about President Vladimir Putin, 71, Girkin was arrested in July for “public calls to extremism” and his trial began behind closed doors in December.

Although already in custody, Girkin announced his candidacy for the presidential elections in mid-March on online networks in August. The reason he gave was that he considered himself “more competent in military matters than the sitting president.”

Soldiers at the front for Girkin

Mihail Filippov, who came to Moscow especially from the Siberian city of Novosibirsk to take part in the support campaign, said he had confidence in Girkin’s military capabilities. The 44-year-old electrician added that he was confident Girkin would fulfill his role as Russian commander-in-chief perfectly and “will not be misled.” Yevgeny Skripnik, a former brother-in-arms of Girkin in the Donbass, said many soldiers on the front supported the former separatist leader.

Even the meeting organizers don’t believe Girkin’s candidacy will be approved. The campaign pursues a very “different goal,” said co-organizer Mikhail Polnykov: “On the eve of the uprising, comrades in arms must unite.” (AFP)

Source: Blick