Yegor Zhukov: Leading Russian anti-blogger shot


Yegor Zhukov after the attackImage copyright pyrite
Komanda Zukova

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Zhukov’s supporters posted a picture of his bruised and bloody face on Facebook

Prominent Russian anti-blogger Yegor Zhukov has been beaten in Moscow and taken to hospital for treatment.

Police have registered a case of assault and are investigating.

His supporters posted a photo on Facebook of him having a bloody and swollen face. The attack took place near their home on Sunday evening, they said.

In December, Mr Zhukov, 22, was sentenced to three years in prison for “inciting extremism”.

“Two strangers attacked him on Rashchkin Street and injured him,” he told investigators. A police statement issued by the Interfax news agency said.

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Media CitationYegor Zhukov among supporters outside the Moscow court in 2019

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said police were investigating the attack, adding: “Let’s hope the culprits are identified and punished according to law.”

Mr. Zhukov is now also a political critic on Russian radio. He was arrested last August during protests against the exclusion of independent and opposition candidates from the Moscow Council elections.

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Earlier on Sunday, Mr Zhukov said on his YouTube channel that he had been turned down for a master’s course in cinema at Moscow’s prestigious high school economics, after being initially accepted for it. He linked this rejection to this political activity.

Separately, Kremlin spokesman Mr Peskov said he was opposed to linking the investigation to the alleged poisoning of Russia’s most prominent campaigner, President Vladimir Putin, and investigative blogger Alexei Naval.

German concern over the novel

Mr. Nalvani intensive care in Germany-induced coma, suffering from suspected nerve agent poisoning.

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Germany has asked Russia to do more to clarify the suspected poisoning. Mr. Navalny came out of Russia nine days ago. The hospital on Friday said he was in critical but stable condition.

His supporters believe he was poisoned by a cup of tea he drank at an airport in Tomsk, Siberia, just before the flight.

Commenting on relations with Russia, German Foreign Minister Heiko Masse said they were under “dark clouds”.

“Sanctions remain in place, and will continue as long as the basis for them does not change. And there are also some dark clouds at the moment and of course we expect Russia to contribute more than it currently has to the clarification of the novel case.”