Kremlin critic Gudkov leaves Russia
Russian opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on Sunday he had left Russia after receiving warnings by people close to the Kremlin that he would be arrested if he stayed in the country.
A former member of the Russian parliament, Gudkov, 41, was
detained by Russian law enforcement officials on Tuesday over allegations he
failed to pay a debt on a rented property, which he denies.
He was released from custody on Thursday but remains a
suspect in a criminal case. A group of Kremlin opponents, many of them allies
of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, have fled the country due to the
latest crackdown on the opposition after street rallies to demand Navalny’s
release.
Gudkov said the true purpose of the probe was barring him
from the September parliamentary election.
“I’m approaching Kyiv where I have long-planned meetings and
TV appearances,” he posted on his Telegram account.
“Several sources close to the presidential administration
circle said that if I do not leave the country, my fake criminal case would be
taken further to the point of my arrest,” he said.
The Kremlin has said recent arrests of politicians such as
Gudkov have nothing to do with politics, and denies trying to clear the field
of political opponents.
Gudkov told Reuters on Sunday he would make a decision later
about his further plans.
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