Mick Hartley

Ethics in Russia – and a brave woman:

A politician in Russia has been referred to the police by members of her own party after publicly describing Russia’s involvement in Ukraine as a war crime.

Nina Belyaeva, a deputy in the district council of the southwestern Voronezh region, gave a speech condemning the war at a meeting of two dozen council members.

“I am against the decision that was made by the president of the Russian Federation,” Belyaeva said in the speech, which was filmed. “And I am against the actions that are being carried out today on the territory of the sovereign state of Ukraine. I consider what is happening a war crime.”

One of those present interjected to ask her opinion of the servicemen, who were “protecting the lives” of Russian citizens.

Belyaeva, who represents the Communist Party and who is a law student, responded: “Your initial point is false. No one attacked our country. And tomorrow no one will attack it either. This is just what the propagandists put into your heads. Because there is not a shred of actual evidence that Ukraine was preparing to attack our country.

“And there are no Nazis there. It is very strange to prove to people that a Russian-speaking Ukrainian of Jewish origin can be a Nazi.”

The council condemned her comments, with 20 out of 23 deputies voting to expel her from the council’s ethics committee and to ask law enforcement officers to assess her speech. Members of her own party were among those who voted against her.

One woman of courage, and the rest – most of the rest – queueing up to condemn her, and prove themselves good Russians. Also: complicit in war crimes.