A group of deputies of the Parliament of Primorye opposed the military operation in Ukraine

During a meeting of the Legislative Assembly of the Primorsky Territory, a scandal erupted. When discussing the agenda, a member of the Communist Party faction, Leonid Vasyukevich, read out a statement “from a group of deputies” to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The statement contained a demand to stop the military operation in Ukraine and withdraw Russian troops from its territory.

“We understand that if our country does not stop the military operation, then there will be even more orphans in our country,” said Mr. Vasyukevich. According to him, the appeal to the head of state was signed by four communist deputies.

His speech caused a storm of indignation in the presidium of the regional parliament. Governor Oleg Kozhemyako, who delivered a report on last year’s activities, called for Leonid Vasyukevich and his colleague Gennady Shulga (also a member of the Communist Party faction) who supported him to leave the hall. “These actions discredit the Russian army and our defenders who stand in the fight against Nazism. Traitor,” Mr. Kozhemyako responded.

As a result, at the suggestion of the right-wing Russian Aleksey Kozitsky, the Legislative Assembly deprived Leonid Vasyukevich and Gennady Shulga of the right to vote at today’s meeting. 25 parliamentarians voted in favor of this decision, five voted against, and three more abstained. In total, the Parliament of Primorye consists of 40 people.

Anatoly Dolgachev, head of the Communist Party faction, which includes 14 deputies, said that the speech of his colleagues was an uncoordinated “absolute demarche”, promised to give him a political assessment and take “the toughest measures.” “You defame the honor of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation with such statements,” the leader of the Primorye Communists concluded. Most of the deputies supported these words with applause.

Read about the course of the Russian military operation in Ukraine in the Kommersant article.

Even more news is in the Kommersant Telegram channel.

Alexey Chernyshev, Vladivostok