In fiery speech in Russian Parliament, Vladimir Zhirinovsky condemns arrest of Khabarovsk governor, threatens mass resignations and even ‘revolution’ in response

In a speech at the State Duma, LDPR party head Vladimir Zhirinovsky condemned the arrest of fellow party member Khabarovsk Governor Sergey Furgal, who’s accused of organizing multiple contract killings more than a decade ago. Zhirinovsky even threatened to stage mass resignations by all LDPR members in response to what he says is the unjust case against Furgal.

“Let the whole world know about the mess in this country. Is it a constitution you need? We gave you a constitution! And in return, you put handcuffs on our hands! You’ve no shame! You sit there in high offices and, like under Stalin, you take action. But [FSB head Alexander] Bortnikov is no [Stalinist secret police czar Lavrentiy] Beria. And you don’t have enough KGB vans [to take us all away],” Zhirinovsky said.

The LDPR head also questioned why Furgal was arrested so many years after his supposed crimes, speculating that one of the reasons for the investigation is that the Khabarovsk governor “refused to carry boxes [of money] to Moscow.” 

“The time will come when we will quarantine you and your authorities! It’s us who will have a revolution, and not the one the Bolsheviks or Yeltsin screwed up. A new generation has risen that won’t forgive you for anything and will punish all of you. [...] Plenty of resources and plenty of people, but some of you’ve got dirty hands and rotten thoughts,” Zhirinovsky concluded his remarks.

After the speech, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin urged the chamber to remain “guided by the law and only the law” and avoid any talk of “blackmail,” “revolution,” or “threats.” “That’s how states collapse,” Volodin warned.