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French Rebellion Welcomes Russian Opponents

Rebel French President Jean-Luc Mélenchon and several dozen rebel representatives welcomed three Russian opponents of Vladimir Putin to the legislature on Tuesday evening, members of the “Alliance of Russian Socialists Against War,” AFP noted.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon said it was his “emotion” to receive Russian far-left activists Alexei Sakhnin, Andrey Rudo and Elizabeta Smirnova, who arrived in France the same day. “The present are the resisters,” said Jean-Luc Mélenchon. “They tell themselves that lucky there are French people like us. And we tell ourselves, lucky there are Russians like them,” he added. “Putin and his oligarchy bear responsibility for the war in Ukraine,” insisted Mathilde Panot, head of the rebel delegation, “calling for the task of isolating Russian power. Welcome and support its opponents.”

“There is a situation in our country that you can’t imagine,” Alexei Sakhnin said through an interpreter, referring to the “fear of talking about politics” and fear of being mobilized for war in Ukraine. All three said international sanctions had had “consequences” on the lives of Russians. “The standard of living has fallen by only 10%,” confirmed Andrey Rudoi.