Russian youth movements should prepare themselves for future parliamentary and presidential elections, a leading Kremlin official said on Saturday.
“Prepare yourselves for the polls, and train your brains and your muscles. You can always count on our support,” presidential deputy chief of staff Vladislav Surkov told members of the pro-Kremlin Nashi, Molodaya Gvardiya and other youth groups at a meeting in Moscow on Saturday.
Parliamentary elections are due in 2011, with presidential polls to follow the year after.
Nashi (Ours), founded in March 2005, has been involved in a number of high-profile activities, including a blockade of Estonia's embassy in Moscow and a 2006 campaign against the then British ambassador, Tony Brenton, over his attendance of an opposition conference.
Molodaya Gvardiya (Young Guard) is the youth wing of the ruling United Russia party and recently posted images of a number of journalists on its website with the words “Will Be Punished.” One of the journalists was Oleg Kashin, who was later severely beaten by unidentified assailants.
Surkov said that “opponents” had stepped up attacks on the Kremlin youth groups as they were “an essential part of the political system.” He also called on the youth groups to play an “active” role in the upcoming polls.
“The elections must be won by [President Dmitry] Medvedev, [Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin, and United Russia,” he went on, stating that this would ensure Russia was able to successfully carry out its strategy of national development.
He also said that Russia wanted to “become a Western democracy,” but that while it would “cooperate with those who treat us with trust,” it would “oppose those who believe in global hegemony.”
Earlier this year, Medvedev’s human rights advisor, Ella Pamfilova, expressed concern over the Nashi group, telling news agencies that “It is terrible to think that these guys will be coming to power in a certain number of years.”
Nashi threatened to sue for defamation and Pamfilova resigned in July. She declined to give a reason for stepping down. Analysts suggested however that her conflict with Nashi may have played a key role.
MOSCOW, December 11 (RIA Novosti)
