Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a Russian nationalist politician and frequent presidential candidate, has died whose anti-Western rhetoric and incendiary television appearances made him one of Russia’s most prominent public figures in three decades. He was 75 years old.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, or the State Duma, said Mr. Zhirinovsky passed away after a long and dangerous struggle.
Many in Russia praised Mr. Zhirinovsky for his insight. In a speech to parliament in late December, two months before Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he said Russia would finally make its voice heard.
“This will not be a peaceful year,” he said. “It will be a year when Russia will finally become a great country again and everyone should shut up and respect us.”
Mr. Zhirinovsky was the founder and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, a political organization that pushed far-right policies focused on promoting the rights of Russians, often critical of mass labor migration from Central Asia.
He has been a key player in strengthening Russia’s systemic opposition, one of the main pillars of President Vladimir Putin’s rule consisting of political forces that nominally compete with but are practically allied with the ruling United Russia party on issues of importance to the Kremlin.
Mr. Zhirinovsky, a six-time presidential candidate, became known for his headline-grabbing statements on state television, where he was a regular guest on political talk shows that traditionally present the anti-Western streak. He threatened to use nuclear weapons against Russia’s opponents and annexed Alaska from the United States
In a statement posted on the Kremlin’s website, Mr. Putin described Mr. Zhirinovsky as an “experienced politician” and “a lively orator” who “always, in every hall and in the most heated debates, defended the national position and the interests of Russia.”
“Beer buff. Devoted pop culture scholar. Coffee ninja. Evil zombie fan. Organizer.”
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