Ivan Rybkin
Encyclopedia
Ivan Petrovich Rybkin is a Russia
n politician; was Chairman
of Russia's State Duma
in 1994–96 and Secretary of the Security Council
in 1996–98.
, Rybkin was elected as peoples' deputy to the congress of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in 1990. In 1993, Rybkin became a member of the Agrarian Party of Russia. That very year in December, he was elected deputy of the State Duma
.
affairs.
. During the campaign, on 2 February 2004, in his article in the Kommersant
and Novaya Gazeta
newspapers he accused incumbent President Vladimir Putin
of having bombed Moscow in 1999 just to make way for the Chechnya attack, but also to be an oligarch involved in shady business activities with Yury Kovalchuk, Mikhail Kovalchuk
, Gennady Timchenko
, KiNEx
and the Russia Bank, which allegedly swallowed up a vast share of the nation's financial flows. He then accused Putin of having kidnapped him, after having given contradictory informations about what he claimed had happened. These allegations have been dismissed by various newspapers as “not very credible”, nor grounded on any kind of evidence.http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/02/11/russia.rybkin.feature.reut/index.html
The Guardian
said that some people characterized Rybkin's claim as “a publicity stunt” http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/feb/14/russia.jonathansteele, while CNN stated that in Russia “the common explanation "he's gone missing" is a euphemism for a man on a prolonged drinking binge or a romantic escapade” http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/02/11/russia.rybkin.feature.reut/index.html,
administration of complicity in the 1999 bomb attacks
in Moscow that led to a war in the Russian breakaway republic of Chechnya
. Five days later, Rybkin appeared in Kiev
. He stated later that he had been kidnapped and drugged by Russian FSB
agents He claims to have been lured to Ukraine under the pretense of meeting the former Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov. However upon arrival he says he was offered refreshments in the apartment, at which point he became "very drowsy." He says he was unconscious for four days, waking on 10 February. Upon waking he was shown a videotape in which he was performing "revolting acts" conducted by "horrible perverts". He was told that the tape would be made public if he continued with his presidential campaign.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3485971.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3487557.stm
He said he feared for his safety if he returned to Russia, and whilst he initially continued the campaign from overseas, on 5 March 2004, he withdrew from the race, saying he did not want to be part of "this farce," as he called the elections.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3536215.stm
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n politician; was Chairman
Speaker of the Duma
The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation , also called Speaker , is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Russian parliament...
of Russia's State Duma
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
in 1994–96 and Secretary of the Security Council
Security Council of Russia
The Security Council of the Russian Federation is a consultative body of the Russian President that works out the President's decisions on national security affairs...
in 1996–98.
Early life
He was born in village of Semigorka, Voronesh Oblast. In 1968, Rybkin graduated from Volgograd Agricultural Institute, and in 1991 from the Soviet Academy of Social Sciences. After a career on lower ranks of the Communist PartyCommunist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
, Rybkin was elected as peoples' deputy to the congress of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in 1990. In 1993, Rybkin became a member of the Agrarian Party of Russia. That very year in December, he was elected deputy of the State Duma
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
.
Speaker of Russian State Duma
In 1994, Rybkin was elected speaker of the State Duma. In January 1995, he became a member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. In July of that year, Rybkin became a leader of the Regions of Russia Bloc. In March 1998, Rybkin was appointed Deputy Prime Minister for Commonwealth of Independent StatesCommonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
affairs.
Presidential candidate
In 2004, Rybkin was nominated by Berezovsky's Liberal Party for the Russian presidential electionsRussian presidential election, 2004
Presidential elections were held in Russia on 14 March 2004. Incumbent Vladimir Putin was seeking a second full four-year term. He was re-elected with 71.31% of the vote.-Sergey Glazyev:...
. During the campaign, on 2 February 2004, in his article in the Kommersant
Kommersant
Kommersant is a commerce-oriented newspaper published in Russia. , the circulation was 131,000.- History :The newspaper was initially published in 1909, and it was closed down following the Bolshevik seizure of power and the introduction of censorship in 1917.In 1989, with the onset of press...
and Novaya Gazeta
Novaya Gazeta
Novaya Gazeta is a Russian newspaper well known in the country for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs....
newspapers he accused incumbent President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
of having bombed Moscow in 1999 just to make way for the Chechnya attack, but also to be an oligarch involved in shady business activities with Yury Kovalchuk, Mikhail Kovalchuk
Mikhail Kovalchuk
Mikhail Valentinovich Kovalchuk is a Russian physicist and official. He is a brother of Yury Kovalchuk, known as "Putin's personal banker."Since May 26, 2000 Mikhail Kovalchuk has been an Associate Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences in physics....
, Gennady Timchenko
Gennady Timchenko
Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko (also spelled Guennadi Timtchenko; (born 1952) is a prominent businessman, active in the energy trading business, citizen of Finland, currently living in Geneva, Switzerland....
, KiNEx
KiNEx
KiNEx is a Russian joint stock company, subsidiary of Surgutneftegaz, specializing in wholesale crude and refined oil trading, especially of the refined oil production of Kinef, mostly abroad in Northern Europe.It was founded in 1987 as a subdivision of the Kirishinefteorgsintez refinery, based in...
and the Russia Bank, which allegedly swallowed up a vast share of the nation's financial flows. He then accused Putin of having kidnapped him, after having given contradictory informations about what he claimed had happened. These allegations have been dismissed by various newspapers as “not very credible”, nor grounded on any kind of evidence.http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/02/11/russia.rybkin.feature.reut/index.html
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said that some people characterized Rybkin's claim as “a publicity stunt” http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/feb/14/russia.jonathansteele, while CNN stated that in Russia “the common explanation "he's gone missing" is a euphemism for a man on a prolonged drinking binge or a romantic escapade” http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/02/11/russia.rybkin.feature.reut/index.html,
Kidnapping
In February 2004, he disappeared for 4 days under mysterious circumstances. A day after his return he accused the PutinVladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
administration of complicity in the 1999 bomb attacks
Russian apartment bombings
The Russian apartment bombings were a series of explosions that hit four apartment blocks in the Russian cities of Buynaksk, Moscow, and Volgodonsk in September 1999, killing 293 people and injuring 651. The explosions occurred in Buynaksk on 4 September, Moscow on 9 and 13 September, and...
in Moscow that led to a war in the Russian breakaway republic of Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
. Five days later, Rybkin appeared in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. He stated later that he had been kidnapped and drugged by Russian FSB
FSB (Russia)
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation is the main domestic security agency of the Russian Federation and the main successor agency of the Soviet Committee of State Security . Its main responsibilities are counter-intelligence, internal and border security, counter-terrorism, and...
agents He claims to have been lured to Ukraine under the pretense of meeting the former Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov. However upon arrival he says he was offered refreshments in the apartment, at which point he became "very drowsy." He says he was unconscious for four days, waking on 10 February. Upon waking he was shown a videotape in which he was performing "revolting acts" conducted by "horrible perverts". He was told that the tape would be made public if he continued with his presidential campaign.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3485971.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3487557.stm
He said he feared for his safety if he returned to Russia, and whilst he initially continued the campaign from overseas, on 5 March 2004, he withdrew from the race, saying he did not want to be part of "this farce," as he called the elections.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3536215.stm