Girkin and his supporters create ‘Club of Angry Patriots’, announce readiness to seize power in Russia
The former defense minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Igor Girkin (aka Strelkov), the former "governor of the DPR" Pavel Gubarev, Russian journalist Maxim Kalashnikov, a participant in the Ukrainian "Anti-Maidan" Vladimir Grubnik and other figures announced the creation of the so-called "Club of Angry Patriots", and published its manifesto.
"Unfortunately, the situation on the front, which the is being embellished in every possible way by the media, has an extremely negative impact on the situation throughout the country, throughout our state. I am not afraid to say this, but we are moving towards a military defeat. Not even because we cannot advance in some district centers there. Near Donetsk we could not push the enemy back by 10 kilometers during the winter. And not even because we left Kherson, rolled out of the Kharkiv region, withdrew from near Kiev. And because we got into a long, protracted war, for which our economy was completely unprepared, " Girkin said, noting that the Russian army, the political system and most of the state officials and leaders of the Russian Federation were not ready for the war in Ukraine.
According to him, the newly created "Club of Angry Patriots" should become the "last stronghold" of the Russian Federation, if events go according to the "worst scenario" and Russia is forced to capitulate.
"We are angry that we are suffering defeat after defeat, and nothing changes. We know that there are people in power who are patriotic. They are smart, honest and decent. But they are so few that they cannot overcome the inertia of a system that is generally thieving and corrupt. This has led us to consider the current elite to be the elite of disaster. We are against the policy of sledgehammers, criminal jargon and illegal reprisals. We believe that together with the people who are in power, we can influence the system in such a way as to lead Russia from defeats to victories," Gubarev said.
For his part, Vladimir Grubnik, an avid supporter of the "Russian world", said that the defeat in the war would end with the collapse of the Russian Federation and the genocide of all Russians.
"We must do everything to win this war. But, going forward, we must constantly look back and mercilessly eradicate vices, eradicate various excesses that exist in the rear," Grubnik said.
Kalashnikov stressed that he joined the "Club of Disgruntled Patriots" because he does not want to live in a "raw material appendage", but wants a developed Russia, where there are civil rights, a fair trial, "where they do not rule with a sledgehammer". He also said that the "primitive" Russian Federation will not withstand a protracted, positional war.
"Defeat is unacceptable. The defeat will mean the ultimate collapse of the Russian people, the Russian Federation, after which we will not be able to come back," said Kalashnikov, calling for criticism of the Kremlin.
Without naming specific names, he added that the Russian elite consists of "creatures with the psychology of commodity looters, bribe and kickback takers."
"Everything is saturated with corruption, everything is saturated with arrogance, despotism," Kalashnikov said.
He expressed confidence that after the defeat in the war, the Russian beau monde will beg the West for forgiveness to regain access to its seized assets.
Kalashnikov stressed that the "Club of Angry Patriots" is not going to stage a riot in Russia.
"But if events go according to the worst-case scenario, we will have to become the last line of defense. And if there is any capitulating pro-Western coup, we will have to turn it around," Kalashnikov added.