Putin’s cousin establishes another anti-corruption political party

Roman Putin, the cousin of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has created a new political party called “Russia Without Corruption,” reports RIA Novosti. 

The party was founded at a congress held in Moscow on Tuesday, December 15. RIA Novosti’s source close to the party says that “Russia Without Corruption” plans to run in the 2021 State Duma elections.

Roman Putin was previously the chairman of the political party “People Against Corruption,” which the Russian Supreme Court dissolved in November 2020 following a claim filed by the Justice Ministry. Before that, the Central Election Commission named “People Against Corruption” among a list of four parties at risk of being dissolved due to failure to compete in any elections seven years in a row.

Roman Putin is the son of the president’s cousin, Igor Putin, meaning he is technically Vladimir Putin’s first cousin once removed. Roman has previously worked in the Federal Security Service (FSB) and was a volunteer adviser to the governor of Novosibirsk. He owns several oil and shipping companies and has headed the “Taekwondo Federation of Russia” trust foundation since 2013.