The head of the Russian parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, has called for Russian critics of the military operation in Ukraine to be stripped of their citizenship. “The vast majority of our citizens support the special military operation in Ukraine, they understand its necessity for the security of our country and our nation,” Volodin wrote on Telegram Monday.
However, there are also “traitors” whose citizenship has not yet been revoked. “But maybe that would be good,” Volodin added.
As an example, Volodin mentioned the case of journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who held up a sign saying “No to war” during a live broadcast on Russian state television in mid-March. As it became known on Monday, Ovsyannikova now works as a freelance correspondent for Russia and Ukraine for the German daily “Welt”.
Thousands of Kremlin Critics Arrested
Ovzyannikova will “work for a NATO country and justify arms sales to Ukrainian neo-Nazis,” as well as “send foreign mercenaries to fight our soldiers and impose sanctions on Russia,” Volodin wrote.
Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine on February 24, the Kremlin has taken massive crackdowns on members of the opposition. Thousands of protest participants were arrested, independent media and online networks were blocked. Critics of the military operation also reported threats, such as graffiti on their front doors.
Kara-Mursa . also arrested
The well-known Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Mursa was arrested Monday, according to his lawyer. “I heard of his arrest less than 10 minutes ago and I will visit him,” lawyer Vadim Prokhorov told Interfax news agency.
The reason for Kara-Mursa’s arrest was initially unknown. Kara-Mursa, however, had repeatedly criticized Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in recent weeks. The 40-year-old former journalist was a close confidant of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was murdered near the Kremlin in 2015, and is also close to Russian government critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
US increasingly concerned
Kara-Mursa states that because of his political commitment he has already been the victim of two poison attacks. The 40-year-old is one of the few prominent opposition figures still living in Russia.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed concern over Kara-Mursa’s arrest. “We are closely monitoring the situation and demand his immediate release,” he wrote on Twitter.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
