Zyuganov defends a fellow party member who denied reunification with Crimea
Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, speaking in the State Duma, rushed to the defense of Saratov Regional Duma deputy Nikolai Bondarenko, who openly sympathizes with criminal blogger Alexei Navalny.
“Bondarenko performed for us. Yesterday he was fined a thousand rubles. And immediately another agenda. Two or three materials, and he went to criminal charges. It is unacceptable to do such things. You won’t shut your mouth anyway,” Zyuganov said.
A few hours earlier, Bondarenko, speaking on the liberal radio station Ekho Moskvy, said that he was ready to vouch in court for the detained Navalny supporter Liliya Chanysheva, who is suspected of creating an extremist community.
“Without fail. I don’t know her personally, but I am convinced that there are political motives behind the actions of law enforcement agencies. I am convinced and demand that she be released. If necessary, I am ready to express my opinion,” Bondarenko said.
“It’s a close connection that Zyuganov is usually unaware of,” political scientist Armen Gasparyan commented on his speech in his Telegram channel.
On November 9, Bondarenko was detained for hooliganism at a polling station on election day. He shouted at members of the election commission and snatched documents from their hands. This is an administrative violation that provides for imprisonment. However, the court awarded Bondarenko only a meager fine.
Bondarenko is known for running his own channel on YouTube, where he uploads videos of scandals in which he regularly gets involved. He actively supported Navalny in the liberal media and took part in actions in his support.
He ran for deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation in a single-mandate constituency, but lost. During the campaign denied that Crimea belonged to Russia.
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