(Reuters) – Igor Girkin, a Russian ultranationalist who is currently in custody awaiting trial on charges of inciting extremism, stated on Thursday that he would be a better president than Vladimir Putin, describing Putin as gullible and “too kind”.
Girkin, in a post on Telegram titled “On running as a candidate for president of the Russian Federation,” indicated his intent to participate in the March 2024 election, when Putin is expected to seek re-election for another six-year term.
Girkin’s statements were openly critical of the current president, accusing him of misjudging the war in Ukraine, which Russia refers to as a “special military operation”.
In reference to Putin, Girkin called him “an extremely gullible person,” adding that he is also “too kind”. According to Girkin, at the beginning of the war, Putin was easily influenced by Ukraine, the West, Russian security agencies, and the defense industry.
Girkin argued that the country, army, and Russian industry were ill-prepared for war, and Ukraine was far from being an easy opponent in military terms, despite misconceptions.
Nonetheless, Girkin criticized the officials responsible for the war, stating that they continue to display incompetence. He declared, “I am not nearly so kind, which I will be able to prove in practice.”
Girkin further alleged that Putin has billionaire friends who benefit from his generosity and kindness, and their fortunes are growing faster than military production.
Girkin is currently the most prominent critic of Moscow’s conduct of the war in Ukraine since the death of mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash. He was arrested in July for incitement to extremism, following his public outbursts.
Russian law prohibits convicted criminals from running for office, and it remains unclear how Girkin could participate in the election while in pre-trial detention.
Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov, is a former security officer who played a significant role in the initial stages of the war in Ukraine in 2014 when a militia he commanded captured the city of Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine.
He does not recognize Ukraine as an independent nation and believes that a significant part of it should be part of Russia.
In May, Girkin announced that the nationalist group he leads would enter politics as an opposition party due to a brewing “systemic crisis”.
Girkin gained notoriety in the West for his alleged involvement in the 2014 downing of a Malaysian passenger plane in eastern Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of 298 individuals. He was convicted in absentia by a Dutch court but denied any responsibility.
According to The New York Times, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin is projected to win re-election next year with 90% of the vote. Peskov later clarified that his words were misinterpreted but affirmed that Putin enjoys unprecedented support and is likely to secure an overwhelming majority if he decides to run.
(Reporting by Felix Light and Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
