Deputy Prime Minister's Brother Detained for Putin 'Ultralord' Banner

Oct. 8, 2013

Police ordering the "picketers" to roll up the banner.

The brother of the Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, Mikhail, has been detained for trying to launch an air-balloon with a banner on it celebrating President Vladimir Putin's 61st birthday.

Police said the slogan "Happy Birthday, Ultralord!" was insulting and detained Mikhail Dvorkovich and three other people on Monday for setting up an "unauthorized picket" on Ulitsa Volkhonka, Dvorkovich wrote on his Twitter blog.

The picture was actually meant as an "stylized depiction of Vladimir Vladimirovich", Dvorkovich told rusnovosti.ru.

The picture above shows the image that was printed on the banner. (Picture: @mdvorkovich / Twitter)

Dvorkovich founder of the Novoye Delo business association, and his associates were taken to the Khamovniki District police station, where they are still being held.

The city's police department confirmed the detention of Dvorkovich and several other people, Interfax reported.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that Putin was not planning to celebrate his birthday due to his busy schedule, Dozhd television channel reported Monday. He is currently taking part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bali, Indonesia.

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