Head of the Liberal Democratic Party Vladimir Zhirinovsky linked "glamorous" opposition members' consumption of black caviar to the funding of Dagestan terrorists in a speech against what he sees as rampant immorality this week.
Zhirinovsky, known for making outlandish statements that often seize headlines, made the accusation at a plenary session of the State Duma on Tuesday.
The first to fall within the outspoken deputy's sights was Education Minister Dmitry Livanov, who Zhirinovsky said made phony promises to stop using the flashing blue light on his car that allows him traffic privileges.
"Last year he declared to the whole country that he'd stop using the flashing light [on his car.] But it turned out to all be a PR campaign … That's the moral content of such ministers, the ones who deal with youth, with education, and science," Zhirinovsky said in comments carried by the Novy Region news agency.
He went on to slam TV host Ksenia Sobchak for what he regarded as the same lack of moral content, saying she brought shame to her father — former St. Petersburg Governor Anatoly Sobchak — and promising to write a novel about her called "Street Walker."
"To bring shame to Communist Sobchak like that. And now his daughter is rioting, running about. And Navalny is there, and it's necessary to pig out like a freeloader — on 35 kilograms! It's revolting, of course," Zhirinovsky said, referring to 35 kilograms of black caviar that was reportedly served at an event at the Gogol Center at which many opposition figures were present.
Elaborating, Zhirinovsky said the event featured "our glamour girls, youth and some members of A Just Russia. …Ten people gathered there, three deputies, three half-naked actors, three sons of oligarchs and so on … And they ate 35 kilograms of black caviar!"
The problem with the black caviar, Zhirinovsky said, is that it's sold on the black market, and all profits go to fund rebel groups in Dagestan.
"In this sense, whoever is buying this product, hanging out [eating it], is actually taking part in a crime," he said.
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