Russian presidential candidate is missing!

Ned · February 9, 2004, 13:26

Ouch!

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The mystery surrounding the disappearance of a Russian presidential candidate has deepened with the launch -- and then cancellation -- of a murder probe.

Ivan Rybkin -- former speaker of Parliament and strong critic of President Vladimir Putin -- went missing on Thursday.

Rybkin's family and staff filed a missing persons report Sunday, and the FSB -- Russia's Federal Security Service -- launched an investigation.

On Monday morning, Moscow prosecutors announced a criminal case on charges of pre-meditated murder. But they canceled it almost immediately, saying there was "no basis" for such a case.

"We have no reasons to believe Ivan Rybkin was abducted or killed at the moment," Russian news agencies quoted a prosecutor's office official as saying.

A liberal, Rybkin is running as an independent in the March 14 presidential election -- which Putin is expected to win easily.

Rybkin's campaign said it lost contact with him Thursday night.

"He may have fallen, been robbed and killed, his body hidden. The other possibility is that it was an election trick, but it is not like him. The third option is linked to politics, but as far as I know he did not receive any threats," his election aide Ksenia Ponomaryova told Reuters.

His wife, Albina, said she found his shirt and some dishes in the sink when she returned home but no trace of her husband. She suggested that Rybkin may have been kidnapped.

Last week, in an open letter published in the Russian newspaper Kommersant, Rybkin accused Putin of being "the biggest oligarch in Russia."

"I am convinced Putin has no right to power in Russia ... and we have no right to be silent about it," Rybkin wrote.

He also accused the president of being allied with forces trying to control Russian business. Putin did not answer the charges.

Rybkin is a supporter of negotiations with Chechen separatists, an idea Putin vehemently rejected just last Friday following a subway bombing blamed on Chechen terrorists.

The bombing killed 39 people and injured more than 100 others. (Full story)

Rybkin, 57, was a national security adviser to former President Boris Yeltsin. He is one of six candidates running against Putin.

His poll ratings have hovered around 1 percent, and experts agree he has no chance of winning the race.

He did manage to collect 2 million signatures to put his name on the ballot, although the central election committee said it found numerous falsifications. He was certified as a candidate, however.

Rybkin is co-chairman of the Liberal Russia political party. Two of its parliamentary members have been killed under questionable circumstances.

Rybkin also is allied with Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who now lives in London. Some opponents of Berezovsky have raised the possibility that he might be tied somehow to Rybkin's disappearance.

But Berezovksy told a Moscow radio station Sunday that he was "pretty sure" Rybkin was "alive and well," saying Rybkin's wife was told by officials that he was safe.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe...kin/index.html

chequita guevara · February 9, 2004, 13:29

Nothing to see here, move along.

Barinthus · February 9, 2004, 13:45

This is a good example demostrating that democracy simply can't take place overnight. It requires a certain mindset and certain civic values (and absence of certain values also such as tribalism) that seemingly most non-English-speaking countries outside of the West don't have.

Ned · February 9, 2004, 13:48

Che really wants democracy in Russia to collapse.

Perhaps the commies were behind this?

chequita guevara · February 9, 2004, 13:50

No, I was commenting on how the Russian state media is downplaying this. Russia is collapsing into capitalist dictatorship. Poor, poor Russia.

Barinthus · February 9, 2004, 13:52

Che - yep. A free media without any constraints from the state is imperative for a successful democracy.

Ned · February 9, 2004, 13:54

Well, Che, then I agree with your comment.

Nubclear · February 9, 2004, 13:55

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
No, I was commenting on how the Russian state media is downplaying this. Russia is collapsing into capitalist dictatorship. Poor, poor Russia.

I know....

In Soviet Russia: All the people (except party leaders) live together in bad conditions.
In Capitalist Russia: All the people (except Putin) live together in unspeakable conditions.

Action must be taken to wipe out Putin

Sava · February 9, 2004, 14:01

wasn't there another thread about this yesterday?

Az · February 9, 2004, 14:09

and the FSB -- Russia's Federal Security Service -- launched an investigation.

"So, Vasya, where did you put him? "

Az · February 9, 2004, 14:33

I think we should be precise here:

Putin is not creating a classical capitalist dictatorship. In this case, the merger between political and economical power goes the other way: He's appropriating all the possessions of the Oligarchs that have voiced opposition to him ( All jews, btw. I am telling you, the protocols are true.

) Gusiniski, Berezovski, that guy who was the CEO and chief stockholder of Yukos, who he has imprisoned. Also in his telescope lens is Abramovich ( He's Ukrainian, "really".

) the guy who picked up England's Chelsea FC.

He is also centralizing the country again, as he likes to call it, "creates a Vertical of Power". Actually, with all the corrupt governors, and the fact that he DOES take care of them, I think that's a good sign.

There is also somewhat of a cult of personality in it's infancy. It may sound like a quirk, but let us not forget, his come to power was probably the most democratic in Russia, EVER. Yeltsin's revolution, and subsequent scramble to his aid by all private media in Russia in the 96' election, in order to secure his victory over the communists don't really count. And the fact that he was the leader of the FSB doesn't mean anything.

All in all, I must admit that the guy is personally the most likeable person to sit the in the throne of power in Russia, whether soviet, Tzarist or post-soviet.

So it seems ~~the KGB~~ Putin has assumed power once more in Russia, continuing their nice ~25 year streak from soviet times. Now they're probably more corrupt, but they're also much more lean and mean. Russian society's already begun it's transformation from the fragile stage it was in in the 90s into something different. A single party controlls both houses of parliament, all the commisions, etc., and Party No.2 is a the Russian Liberal Democratic Party, (

) which is basically one man, ~40 cardboard figures, and lots of empty nationalist rethoric. This party ALSO supports Putin. It's as if the has turn, the motor is running, and all that's left is shift into gear and press the gas pedal. The Church is starting to play more and more of a role.

The defining stage of this will be whether Putin will push through THAT ammendment to the constitution. If he will, it will be a whole new bowl game.

On the abduction allegation: I don't think that Putin is behind him. The guy, much like anyone else in Russia has no chance against him.

Mercator · February 9, 2004, 15:29

Just like General Lebed.

Saras · February 9, 2004, 15:34

Capitalist dictatorship

Like Chechen Jazz or Tuva cuisine.

Az · February 9, 2004, 15:35

Only this one is NOT an assassination.

Something I decided to cook up in Photoshop.

Az · February 9, 2004, 15:37

Capitalist dictatorship

Because a capitalist dictatorship is obviously impossible!

Sava · February 9, 2004, 15:41

Azazel

Spiffor · February 9, 2004, 15:46

I fail to understand why Putin would want to have such an easy rival abducted or killed. Any smart modern dictator enjoys having a facade opposition, and there is no way the missing candidate could threaten him to his reelection (polls attributed him about 1% of the votes).

Either this affair is really a really clumsy decision by Putin, or it is independent from him. Since he hasn't used us to clumsiness, I believe the latter for now.

Saras · February 9, 2004, 15:57

Originally posted by Azazel

Capitalist dictatorship

Because a capitalist dictatorship is obviously impossible!

Depends on your definition of capitalism.

GePap · February 9, 2004, 17:38

While who knows what Putins allies might do, given the violent history of the party, it might very well be an internal party problem, or mixe ups with organized crime.

Gangerolf · February 9, 2004, 20:48

Did Putin have him whacked?

Odin · February 9, 2004, 20:53

Originally posted by Gangerolf
Did Putin have him whacked?

I'm fairly sure he did.

Lonestar · February 9, 2004, 21:53

Maybe he used all those tanks he can now keep in European Russia with the repudiation of the CFE treaty........

Boris Godunov · February 9, 2004, 23:34

Originally posted by Odin
I'm fairly sure he did.

Why? He had no real compelling reason to do so. THis guy had less than 1% support, and Putin is a shoo-in for re-election in March. There doesn't seem to be any sense to him being behind it.

mrmitchell · February 9, 2004, 23:38

If you take Putin and sound it out backwards and place it in the title of the russian anthem it says TOR ANTIG which is almost THE ANTICHRIST!!!!

Capt Dizle · February 9, 2004, 23:41

George Bush has called Putin and is offering to send Dennis Kucinich to sub for the missing candidate.

Saras · February 10, 2004, 01:19

Denis Ivanovich Kucinich... hmmm... sounds Russian

Nubclear · February 10, 2004, 01:25

Denny is about as crazy as a Russian, too

Az · February 10, 2004, 02:41

As a Russian citizen, I find all of this very interesting.

While who knows what Putins allies might do, given the violent history of the party, it might very well be an internal party problem, or mixe ups with organized crime

What party will that be?

Serb · February 10, 2004, 02:59

The Russian presidential candidate, my as$.

Who need this f*cker anyway? No one here cares about him much anyway.
He is a Berzovsky's puppet. Berezovky is f*cking motherf*cker who robbed our country and stole billions $$$ during Yeltzin's rule. Now he live in London under protection of British law, despite that he is in international search via Interpol.

Berezovsky (as I said he is quite a f*cker) hate Putin and do everything to show Russian leadership in bad light. He is producer of sci-fi-bs documentary about FSB planting charges to destroy apartment buildings in 1999, and the same sh!t.
Rybkin is his lackey dog. His "party" lost last parliament election, as well as praliament election of 1999. They gathered something about of 0.02% (needed limit was 5%).
They are bunch of loosers without any support of population. This action is clear attack of Berezovsky against Putin. An atempt to bring attention to this candidate, and atempt to show Russia and Russian leadership in bad light.

One more thing, he was found near Moscow in (pansionat?) dacha, drinking vodka with his buddies and whores, I guess.

It's just another trick of Berezovsky, nothing more.

The Vagabond · February 10, 2004, 04:20

Originally posted by Serb
This action is clear attack of Berezovsky against Putin. An attept to bring attention to this candidate, and attempt to show Russia and Russian leadership in bad light.

This seems to be the most likely scenario. And an undoable damage has already been inflicted on Russia's image. I wonder if Rybkin and his wife should be brought to justice if this disappearence proves to be a fake. I hope there is an appropriate article for such a misdemeanor in the criminal code.