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Viewing cable 08VLADIVOSTOK124, POLITICIAN USING TRAFFIC INCIDENT AS POLITICAL STEPPING

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08VLADIVOSTOK124 2008-10-28 07:44 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Vladivostok
VZCZCXRO6264
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHYG
DE RUEHVK #0124 3020744
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280744Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1035
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 1132
UNCLAS VLADIVOSTOK 000124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV RS
SUBJECT: POLITICIAN USING TRAFFIC INCIDENT AS POLITICAL STEPPING 
STONE 
 
REF: A. A. MOSCOW 635 
     B. B. VLADIVOSTOK 016 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.  About a dozen demonstrators from Molodaya Gvardia -- the 
youth wing of Yedinaya Rossiya (YR) -- picketed in front of 
Congen Vladivostok October 27 to mark the tenth anniversary of 
the traffic incident that left Vladivostok resident Aleksandr 
Kashin paralyzed from the chest down (reftel A).  Traffic Police 
and militia officers greatly outnumbered the picketers, who were 
joined by about fifteen members of the local press.  The 
demonstration was led by YR member Maksim Glushkov, who has used 
this and other protests as a platform for greater political 
exposure. 
 
Not Enough Picketers to Hold All the Props 
------------------------------------------ 
 
2.  On October 27, about a dozen demonstrators from Yedinaya 
Rossiya's youth wing Molodaya Gvardia picketed in front of 
Congen Vladivostok to mark the tenth anniversary of the "Kashin- 
Kent" traffic incident.  Notably absent was Aleksandr Kashin 
himself, the Vladivostok resident who was paralyzed from the 
chest down in a traffic accident involving then Consul General 
in Vladivostok Douglas Kent, but refused a USD 100,000 
settlement (reftel B).  Traffic police, militia officers, and 
reporters greatly outnumbered the picketers.  The demonstration 
was led by Maksim Glushkov, an ambitious, though minor, local YR 
member who has a history of using such demonstrations to garner 
press coverage and to increase his political profile. 
 
3.  Participants held posters saying "Ten years. No result," 
"Douglas Kent! Happy Anniversary" and "Justice: not for 
Russians?"  In addition to the signs, demonstrators brought 
Russian national flags and Molodaya Gvardia banners, though 
there were not enough participants on hand to hold all the 
props.  The group remained in front of the Consulate for about 
30 minutes.  Though press reports prior to the demonstration 
initially indicated that the group planned to submit a letter of 
complaint to the Consulate, no such missive was delivered. 
 
4.  This was the first picket related to the Kashin incident 
since March, despite the promise Glushkov made then to hold 
demonstrations every month.  The event did garner local press 
coverage, and Glushkov was observed giving interviews to each of 
the three video crews on the scene. 
 
Traffic Accident as Political Stepping Stone 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) The event's organizer was Maksim Glushkov, a 
twenty-eight year old lawyer and leader of the regional chapter 
of Yedinaya Rossiya's youth wing Molodaya Gvardiya.  Glushkov 
spoke candidly to a Congen Economic FSN several months prior to 
the demonstration about his political plans.  He left the 
impression of an ambitious politician with national career 
goals, who, though not in support of many of YR's policies, will 
use his association with the organization as a platform to 
greater prominence. 
 
6.  He has facilitated a number of Molodaya Gvardiya 
demonstrations, including the public destruction of Estonian 
canned fish to protest Tallinn's decision last year to relocate 
the city's Monument to WWII Soldiers.  He has also arranged 
various public service activities for Molodaya Gvardia members 
to clean streets and parks and YR election campaign drives. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (SBU) Glushkov's group of "protesters" consists of a coterie 
of about ten Molodaya Gvardiya university students who generally 
participate in all of his pet projects.  More like employees 
than volunteers, they are usually paid 300 to 500 rubles (USD 12 
to 20) for their participation.  In is unlikely Molodaya 
Gvardiya's assertion that their Primorye branch has a large 
membership base is true, since university students in the region 
are generally politically apathetic.  Glushkov is clearly using 
the Kashin incident for his own political benefit.  The general 
population does not appear to support his cause, and in fact 
most Vladivostok residents feel that Kashin made a mistake not 
accepting the USD 100,000 settlement. 
 
GERSTEN