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| Europe |
| Rybkin drops challenge to Putin |
| 2004-03-05 |
| The Russian presidential candidate who claimed he had been drugged and held against his will has dropped out of the contest. Ivan Rybkin announced he was no longer challenging President Vladimir Putin in the 14 March elections. Gee, it’s almost like he was blackmailed. Mr Rybkin initially said he went to Kiev of his own accord, but then claimed he was lured there under false pretences, drugged and kidnapped. After being offered some refreshments at an apartment in Kiev, he said, he suddenly became "very drowsy". "Say, this drink tastes funnnnnnnnnyyyyyyy............" He was unconscious for four days, and was told by one of his guards when he woke up that it was part of a "special operation", he claimed. Then they showed him pictures of him with Buffy, Tanya and her pony. Russian news agencies say Mr Rybkin returned to Moscow on Thursday on a plane owned by the billionaire businessman Boris Berezovsky, who has been granted political asylum in Britain. Mr Berezovsky, a rival and stern critic of Mr Putin, has backed Mr Rybkin’s presidential challenge and funds his Liberal Russia party. Which is why he’s in Britain. Mr Rybkin, however, was not seen as a serious contender in the Russian poll, which Mr Putin is expected to win by a landslide. The KGB taught Saddam everything he knew about getting the vote out. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 Mr Rybkin initially said he went to Kiev of his own accord, but then claimed he was lured there under false pretences, drugged and kidnapped. After being offered some refreshments at an apartment in Kiev, he said, he suddenly became "very drowsy". The same thing used to happen to Axel Rose when he toured. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-3-5 9:33:29 AM |