Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, DC
May 5 2006

State Duma Deputies Make Antisemitic Speeches, Come Close to Calling
for Overthrow of Government

(May 5, 2006)
Two members of the Russian national parliament have again made
antisemitic speeches, according to a May 3, 2006 report by the Sova
Information Analytical Center. Former Defense Minister Igor Rodionov
and Oleg Mashchenko-both members of the extremist nationalist
Motherland Party-reportedly spoke at an April 29, 2006 gathering in
St. Petersburg organized by the Union of Russian People. This
organization is named for a pre-Revolutionary group which
participated in mass killings (pogroms) of Jews with the
semi-official approval of Tsarist officials.

Speaking to this group, Mr. Rodionov reportedly stated that, “today
our country is ruled by a Jewish mafia” and called for a struggle
“against this diabolical plot to destroy our country and people.” Mr.
Mashchenko took it a step further, coming close to calling for an
armed uprising against the “anti-Russian government.” “We can’t be
victorious through elections,” Mr. Mashchenko stated. “All the
legislative activity of the Duma serves the interests of a small clan
of rich people, the majority of whom are aliens who are hostile to
the Russian people. At the same time, the kike media deliberately
misinforms and fools tens of millions of people.” Mr. Mashchenko also
reportedly complained about Armenians having too much power in
Russia, a possible reference to vocal protests by the Armenian
community in Moscow following the murder of a young Armenian on the
Moscow metro that many attribute to Russian neo-Nazis.