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In seven time zones, residents of Khabarovsk, east of Moscow, protested on Wednesday for the 12th consecutive day against the arrest of popular governor Sergei Furgal.
Furgal, 50, was transferred to Moscow and imprisoned on charges of organizing several murders 15 years ago.
His arrest earlier this month sparked one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in Russia in many years.
Local authorities say at least 10,000 people participated in the largest demonstration on July 11 and 18. persons. Meanwhile, some local media and opposition figures claim that between 35 and 50,000 people gathered to protest. persons.
Locals also protested Putin’s decision to name Mikhail Degtiariov, 39, who had never lived in the region, this week as interim governor of the Khabarovsk region.
Degtiariov, like S. Furgal, belongs to the Russian Nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR).
The acting governor said Wednesday that the protests do not reflect public opinion.
“The protests do not reflect the mood of the people,” he said.
“To the people who sing: ‘Degtiarovas, wait!’ I say: I will not leave because the work must be done,” added Degtiariov.
Degtiariov has posted videos on Instagram showing him walking through the city center and greeting passers-by with car beeps, as well as buying ice cream for a journalist.
Claiming that the protests did not reflect the mood of all the inhabitants of the country, M. Degtiariov admitted: “His anger is justified.”
The acting governor promised to win the trust of the population by fighting fiercely against corruption and crime.
“As soon as S. Furgal is acquitted, I will leave,” so that he can stand for election, Degtiariov said.
However, he declined to meet with protesters, saying he had a more important job to do.
“Stop yelling ‘Degtiariovai, come out’ through my windows. Doing that is just plain uncultivated,” he said. “There is an agenda. There is construction. There are meetings.”
Instead of protesting, he said, protesters could help veterans in the gardens.
The videos posted by M. Degtiariov on Instagram received critical comments. Another rally in support of S. Furgal is planned to be held at the regional governor’s office on Wednesday night.
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