Posted on 11/05/2017 3:14:04 AM PST by NorseViking
Russian authorities say they have detained several backers of a self-exiled Kremlin critic in the Moscow area, claiming they were plotting to trigger riots by attacking government buildings and police during a politically charged holiday weekend.
In a November 3 statement, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said the suspects were members of a "conspiratorial cell" of Artpodgotovka (Artillery Bombardment), a movement established by outspoken opposition activist Vyacheslav Maltsev.
The FSB also said that in joint operations with police, it had broken up groups of Artpodgotovka members in Krasnoyarsk, Krasnodar, Kazan, Samara, and Saratov -- major provincial centers across Russia. It did not say how many people were detained.
Maltsev, who has described himself as a nationalist and anarchist, has said on YouTube that Russia is up for a "revolution" this weekend as the country prepares to mark People's Unity Day on November 4 and the centennial of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution on November 7.
Nationalists traditionally hold rallies on November 4 and Russians nostalgic for the Soviet Union, such as the Communists, celebrate on November 7.
The FSB statement alleged that the suspects detained in and around Moscow had planned to spark "mass disorder" by throwing Molotov cocktails at administrative buildings and attacking police.
It said that "all members of the cell" were detained and 15 bottles containing flammable liquid were confiscated. The detainees could be charged with terrorist crimes, it said.
Maltsev, a former lawmaker in the Saratov region, unsuccessfully ran for the national parliament in 2016. He fled Russia in July after the authorities launched an investigation into his statements.
Prosecutors in Moscow said last month that Maltsev was in France and planned to obtain political asylum there.
(Excerpt) Read more at rferl.org ...
The Saudi stuff, and now this? Somebody’s busy moving chess pieces around.
Maltsev himself is an interesting person. He was a Communist nominee for Saratov state Duma in 2012 but Communists lost the election to United Russia at the time. RFE describes him as a ‘nationalist’ for some reason.
Ha...another failed Antifa uprising.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.