President Vladimir Putin at his annual press conference on Thursday said he does not fear opposition politicians and that Kremlin opponents should run constructive political campaigns.
Putin announced his reelection bid earlier this month and is widely expected to win a fourth term as president, extending his stay in power through 2024.
“People understand that being an opposition activist in Russia means that you will either be killed or imprisoned,” presidential candidate and opposition-leaning journalist Sobchak was cited as saying by the Interfax news agency. “Is the government afraid of fair competition?”
Sobchak also made good on her promise to address opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has been sidelined from participating in the elections because of a previous criminal conviction which his supporters say is politically motivated. Despite being barred from the elections, he has continued to campaign across the country and issued his political program on Wednesday.
"I assure you,” Putin said in response, “the authorities are not afraid of anyone and have never been afraid of anyone.”
The president critiziced Sobchak’s “against all” campaign slogan for being unconstructive and compared Navalny to Ukraine's opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili, who attempted to escape arrest earlier this month by fleeing to the roof of his apartment in Kiev.
“About those people you mentioned,” Putin said of Navalny, while avoiding his name, “this is like the Russian edition of Saakashvili.”
Soon after, Navalny tweeted a response.
“I'm adding the phrase 'those you mentioned’ to my collection of words-to-use-to-avoid-saying-Navalny."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
