The United Russia Shakedown

La Russophobe's original translator has uncovered evidence in the Russian blogosphere of an attempt by United Russia to extort political campaign contributions under threat of force. Here's a copy of a document posted by the Russian blogger:

(click the image to enlarge it)

Here's our translation of the letter and the blogger's short post about it:

Translation

------------ Text of Letter -----------------

Letterhead: All-Russian Political Party “United Russia” (Yedinaya Rossiya), Kemerov Regional Branch

Date Stamped: November 13, 2007

Addressed to: A.K. Loginov, Executive Director, OAO “Sibirskaya Ugol’naya Energeticheskaya Kompaniya” (Siberian Coal Energy Company)

I am taking your refusal to provide financial support to the regional branch of the “United Russia” party for the upcoming parliamentary elections as a refusal to support President V.V. Putin and his policy direction.

I consider it my obligation to relay this to the Presidential Administration and the Governor of the Kemerov Oblast.

Signed: G.T. Dudyaev

Secretary of the Regional Political Council

Kemerov Regional Branch

United Russia Party

------------ End of letter -----------------

Blogger’s comment:

I don’t know whether V.V. Putin would be pleased to have his name used as part of a racketeering/”ironing” enterprise. Perhaps he would not be pleased - judging from his comments about “impostors” (prokhodimtsi). This is, however, an unavoidable consequence of his cult of personality - this is the identity the impostors will use for their fraudulent ends. And it is for this purpose that a cult is established.