The transcript discusses the arrest of Sergei Furgal, the governor of Khabarovsk Territory, which is perceived as a politically motivated act due to his popularity exceeding that of President Putin. Furgal's arrest is linked to alleged crimes from 15 years ago, with skepticism expressed about the timing and evidence. The situation reflects tensions between local support for Furgal and the central government's actions, with implications for upcoming elections and political dynamics in Russia.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The governor of the Khabarovsk Territory, Sergei Fargal, was arrested.
2. The arrest was related to alleged crimes committed around 2005.
3. Fargal was a deputy of the Khabarovsk Legislative Duma for two years and a deputy of the State Duma for 11 years.
4. The security forces never brought charges against Fargal for these crimes until he became governor in 2018.
5. Fargal's arrest was linked to his high rating among the people, which was seen as a threat to Putin's rating.
6. The Plenipotentiary Representative, Yuri Trutnev, scolded Fargal for having a higher rating than Putin.
7. The turnout in the Khabarovsk Territory during the vote on constitutional amendments was a record low 44%.
8. The LDPR party, led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, condemned Fargal's arrest and threatened to resign their mandates in protest.
9. Zhirinovsky's statement was seen as a sign of loyalty to the Kremlin rather than a genuine expression of outrage.
10. The arrest was widely seen as an attempt by Putin to suppress opposition and maintain his control over the political system.
11. The residents of the Khabarovsk Territory were outraged by the arrest and saw it as an attack on their democracy.
12. The opposition leader, Alexey Vorsino, called for continued resistance against United Russia and the Kremlin.
13. The dialogue between Trutnev and Fargal was recorded and revealed the true reasons behind Fargal's arrest.
14. The main crime committed by Fargal was having a higher rating than Putin, which was seen as a threat to the president's authority.
15. Fargal's arrest was expected to lead to a show trial without any evidence.