In the evening of September 7, unknown people attacked journalist Viktor Kokarev in the center of Syktyvkar. One of his friends was injured, and one of the attackers was detained by the police. The journalist told 7x7 about it.
Kokarev noted that Artem Vedernikov, the head of the Green Alternative Party’s campaign headquarters, had called him late in the evening and asked him not to tear campaign leaflets off. The journalist added that when asked if he might have problems, the person on the other end had replied: "We'll see." According to Kokarev, seven minutes later, he and two of his friends were attacked by two men of "extremely athletic build" in the street. They beat up one of his acquaintances, tried to escape after another one discharged a pepper spray, but passing police detained one of the attackers.
“I think we were attacked by MMA fighters, because the attacker introduced himself to the police as Chernitsyn A. E. and said that he was leaving for St. Petersburg in two days. In the morning, I found a report by RIA FAN, which is holding media campaign for the Rodina Party in Komi, in the Telegram-channel of the party in the region. It says that "the athletes will go from Syktyvkar to St. Petersburg in the next few days, and every minute is spent on training while there is still some time." Apparently, the guys decided to use us for training for the tournament in honor of Maxim Shugaley in St. Petersburg," Kokarev said.
The journalist filed an assault claim to the police department. According to him, the police are allegedly trying to charge his friend with the use of disproportionate force because of discharging a pepper spray.
In Syktyvkar, unknown people pepper-sprayed Kokarev and three of his friends after he made a reproach about illegally pasting up leaflets of the Rodina Party in the evening of September 4. The journalist was diagnosed with a first-degree corrosive ear burn in the injury care center. He filed an assault claim to the police department, the investigator said that the case was not political. Kokarev is a correspondent of the Novaya Respublika (‘New Republic’) Online-Newspaper and a registered candidate for the Komi State Council from the Communist Party.
Election of the head of the republic and deputies of the State Council in Komi is scheduled for September 13. The list of candidates from the Rodina Party on the State Council election is headed by Maxim Shugaley, a political strategist who is in a Libyan prison, has no connection with the region, and is a confidant of businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin. At the same time, the Rodina Party and Prigozhin's representatives deny his direct participation in the election campaign in Komi.
