Sergei Medvedev, an area council member within the Russian metropolis of Perm, has fled to neighboring Georgia after backlash and nameless threats following an internet submit during which he criticized President Vladimir Putin in addition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a submit he shared on the Russian social media community Vkontakte on December 31, Medvedev stated: “Russia, get up! They’re killing you! It’s horrible to understand that the monster who’s behind that is working for election once more.”
He added: “I would like the struggle to finish! I need to see Russia free from Putin’s shackles.”
The submit resulted in his expulsion from the Communist celebration final week after the Perm metropolis council and legislation enforcement businesses requested that the celebration “give a authorized evaluation” of Medvedev’s social media posts criticizing the struggle.
The chief of the Communist Social gathering in Perm area, Kseniya Aytakova, stated “let the competent authorities proceed their work,” referring to the police. Her celebration additionally launched a prolonged assertion affirming its help for the struggle in Ukraine.
From exile, Medvedev instructed POLITICO: “I simply couldn’t bear it anymore. It’s not possible to disregard what’s occurring. Persons are smiling, politicians are providing good needs. However what’s the purpose? The nation is in decline, but there are celebrations all over the place.”
He added: “The entire world appears to be like at us as if we’re insane. We’re turning into a pariah nation. Each sane individual understands this.”
Medvedev stated he believed many individuals in Russia really feel the identical approach, however have been silenced by concern. “It’s like in Nazi Germany. How may one converse out towards Hitler there?”
Russia’s crackdown on critics has intensified since Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Current instances embody the illegal imprisonment of opposition chief Alexei Navalny and the expulsion of international journalists together with Eva Hartog, a POLITICO reporter, final August.
