Russian councilor works from Ukraine, backs Putin's war
Russian politician Mikhail Nosik has revealed that since 2021 he has been working remotely from Ukraine. He went there before the outbreak of the war to undergo cancer treatment. He claims that he performs his duties like other politicians and remains hidden from Ukrainians. He does not wish to resign and adds that he supports Putin and the war.
Key information
- Politician Mikhail Nosik has been working remotely from Ukraine since 2021.
- Nosik is residing in Dnipro, where he is undergoing cancer treatment.
- Despite the war, he continues remote work using VPN and video conferencing.
Mikhail Nosik, a local councilor from the Zabaykalsky region in eastern Russia, revealed that he has been working remotely from Ukraine for four years. He currently lives in Dnipro, to where he moved in 2021, as reported by the "Moscow Times". The 65-year-old relocated to undergo cancer treatment. He also mentioned that he wanted to be closer to his family since he was born in Ukraine. In the past, he worked on cleaning up the Chernobyl power plant.
Nosik still participates in legislative work in his region. He uses VPN technology and video conferencing to attend meetings. In a conversation with the ethics committee, he stated that his work is not of lesser quality compared to other deputies.
Arkady Gromov, the chairman of the assembly in the Kalarsky district, admitted that Nosik is not breaking the law, although his situation is complicated. Most of the assembly voted against his removal from office, according to the "Moscow Times". "He found himself in a difficult situation. He arrived in Ukraine, where he was born, just before the special military operation," the portal quotes Gromov.
Nosik denied having Ukrainian citizenship, emphasising his support for President Putin and Russia's actions in Ukraine. He claims that he has to hide from Ukrainian authorities. Russian prosecutors filed a complaint against him, leading to an ethics committee hearing.
He was accused, among other things, of not having personal meetings with voters and lacking the ability to objectively and impartially represent them. Nosik's mandate expires in December. According to the channel Baza, in a conversation with politicians, Nosik expressed support for Vladimir Putin and the "special military operation".
According to "Meduza," he even tried to return to Russia and contacted the relevant ministry for this purpose, but ultimately was unsuccessful. Nosik stated that he does not receive a salary for his work on the council and lives on a monthly pension of approximately £250.
I don’t want to step down because, formally, my departure wouldn’t change anything. Besides, being a deputy makes me more valuable here and might help me if I’m detained — maybe even make me a candidate for a prisoner swap. I believe I’ve done my job no worse than other deputies," the "Meduza" quotes Nosik as saying.
