LDPR deputy Andrei Lugovoi believes that there is no other nation in the world that, like the Russians, could “change the course of history with one shoulder movement”. “We are more than the people, ” the deputy says in an appeal to citizens on his official website. He also claims that Russians are a great and eternal phenomenon that will always influence the fate of the world.
Among the ultranationalist declarations and appeals with which the site abounds, there is also a remark that the Russians managed to overcome many things and occupy a worthy position in world politics. “Today we are strong enough, ” says State Duma deputy Andrei Lugovoi, “to go forward, sweeping away envy, slander and political blackmail.”
As for political blackmail, envy and slander, then, as Mr. Lugovoi assures, this side of world politics is familiar to him firsthand.
The most media figure of 2006
Deputy Andrei Lugovoi was considered one of the most media figures in 2006, as he was involved in a scandal related to the case of the murder of a defector Litvinenko, and was even accused of his murder (recall, Alexander Litvinenko was killed using polonium-210, which is a radioactive substance)
Mr. Lugovoi resolutely rejected the accusations, putting forward his own version of the event. In addition, another case was later opened, in which Andrei Lugovoi is already acting as the injured party. The media became aware of the polonium poisoning of the deputy, members of his family, as well as his childhood friend, businessman Dmitry Kovtun.
Double standarts
In the light of these events, an interview published in December 2008 by the Spanish edition of El Pais is interesting. In it, Andrei Lugovoi again returns to the topic of the death of A. Litvinenko and states that it was in the interests of Scotland Yard to declare the former suspect of the FSO and the KGB the main suspect. At the same time, Lugovoi expressed his conviction that, guided by the interests of the state, it is necessary to destroy those who can cause him serious harm.
In addition, in an interview, Andrei Lugovoi addresses the topic of relations between Russia and Georgia. According to the deputy, after the military conflict between the two countries, which led to the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which were formerly part of Georgia, the latter realized that "you can’t make jokes with us." Lugovoi also stated that, being in the place of the head of the Russian Federation, he would order the destruction of Georgian President Saakashvili.
These are the allegations of one of the most prominent members of the Russian politicum, a State Duma deputy from the LDPR. What are the interesting biographies and activities of Andrei Lugovoi? What, apart from the scandal surrounding Litvinenko, attracts media attention to him? What is Andrei Lugovoi as a person?
Biography
Data on it is available on the Internet in the public domain. Lugovoi Andrei Konstantinovich is a well-known political figure of the Russian Federation, as well as an entrepreneur, by occupation. At one time, he served as an employee of the bodies of the Russian state security. In addition, in the past, Lugovoi was at the head of the Ninth Val security group. At present, he is a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation from the LDPR.
According to the official declaration, his annual income is 2, 949, 938 rubles. Lugovoi owns three cars and an apartment of 368.80 square meters. m (2012 data).
Childhood, study, military service, KGB
Lugovoi Andrei Konstantinovich was born on September 19, 1966 in a family of military personnel in Baku.
In 1987, he graduated from the Moscow Higher Military Command School. By distribution, he ended up in the Kremlin regiment, which is subordinate to the KGB department No. 9 (state security). He served as a platoon commander, and then commanded a regiment training company.
In 1991-1996 His places of work were: the Main Directorate of Security of the Russian Federation, the Security Service of the President of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service. His duties included the protection of senior government officials, including. about. Prime Minister E. Gaidar, Head of the Presidential Administration S. Filatov, Foreign Minister A. Kozyrev, Deputy Prime Minister A. Bolshakov. Later, Lugovoi became the head of the security service of the ORT TV channel.
A number of media outlets named Lugovoi belonging to the FSB. The deputy himself categorically denied belonging to the FSB. Mr. Lugovoi does not recognize his participation in operational work, recruitment, etc.
In 1990, Andrei Konstantinovich graduated from the KGB Higher Courses of Military Counterintelligence.
Glushkov escape
Andrei Lugovoi first attracted the attention of the press in 2001 by his participation in the so-called “Aeroflot case”. According to the Izvestia newspaper, which cites an anonymous source in the Prosecutor General’s Office, it is believed that Lugovoi took part in the preparation of Glushkov’s escape, following the order of Patarkatsishvili.
The version of Glushkov himself is that the FSB is accused of preparing his escape. The aim was to create a reason to leave the prisoner in prison. Lugovoi was used as part of an organized plan. In 2004, he was sentenced by the court to imprisonment for a term of one year and two months.
Businessman
After leaving prison, Lugovoi went into business. Since 2006, he has been one of the owners of Eugene Bougaine Vine, a company specializing in the production of Pershin brand kvass. His enterprises, “The Ninth Wave”, guarded the family members of B. Berezovsky.
Litvinenko case
In October 2006, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun went to London to meet with A. Litvinenko, who was a long-time acquaintance of Lugovoi and his business partner. About a month later, Litvinenko died, as it was found, from poisoning. The examination established the reason - it was polonium-210. The British investigation authorities checked the radioactive trail that followed Litvinenko, after which they voiced a statement that the victim was infected during a meeting with Kovtun and Lugov in November at the bar of the Millennium Hotel. The investigation discovered a tea cup infected with radiation, from which the victim allegedly drank poison.
Lugovoi himself denied the charges. He referred to the available recordings of CCTV cameras. For his part, Mr. Lugovoi proposed three own versions of Litvinenko’s poisoning. He believed that the following could be involved:
- UK special services;
- "Russian Mafia";
- oligarch Boris Berezovsky.
According to Lugovoi, Litvinenko and Berezovsky were agents of the British secret services who attempted to recruit Lugovoi himself. They tried to persuade him to collect incriminating evidence against Russian President V. Putin.
Diplomatic conflict
In 2007, Russia was asked to extradite Lugovoi as a person suspected of killing a British citizen. Russia refused, citing the ban on extradition of citizens in the Constitution. There was a diplomatic conflict between the two countries. As a result, 4 Russian diplomats were expelled from the UK. Russia in response sent 4 British diplomats from the country.
Boris Volodarsky, historian of special services and author of the book “KGB Poison Factory” (2009), relying on the arguments and facts at his disposal, claims that it was not Lugovoi who poisoned Litvinenko.
“The Litvinenko case is under the control of British intelligence”
This idea was expressed by Andrei Lugovoi at a press conference, where he presented to journalists his vision of the scandal. No matter how many versions of what happened, without the knowledge of the British special services it could not do here, the politician is sure.
Lugovoi said that in London they counted on his silence and on the fact that all issues will be resolved by themselves: he will be branded as a criminal, Boris Berezovsky will be able to avoid extradition to Russia, Scotland Yard and the British secret services will save face before the English taxpayers, and Russia in the person of her leadership will be compromised for a long time.
But Andrei Lugovoi is convinced that they miscalculated. He is ready to lose a lot of money, but will defend his honest name. If the British authorities are not interested in fair trial, he will turn to the Hague international court, where he will talk about the lawlessness against him by the British intelligence services, as well as their agents Berezovsky and Litvinenko.
About elections to the State Duma
In September 2007, LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky announced that during the Duma elections in December, Andrei Lugovoi would be second in the party list. Lugovoi confirmed these words. He also did not rule out his participation in future presidential elections. At a press conference (2007), he was told that, like any citizen of the Russian Federation, he would like to be president. Lugovoi has repeatedly been compared to Putin in the media. Suggestions were made about his possible nomination for president.
As a result of the elections, Andrey Lugovoi received the status of a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. Journalists have suggested that his entry into the Liberal Democratic Party is a win-win deal. During one of the press conferences, Lugovoi said that life forced him to engage in politics. The decision to join the LDPR and run for the State Duma was made a long time ago. He, on his own initiative, “asked” to the party. Lugovoi called the version that his participation in the elections was dictated by the need to obtain parliamentary immunity "utter stupidity."
In December 2011, Andrei Lugovoi was re-elected to the Duma. As deputy chairman, he joined the Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption.
"Meadow Law"
State Duma deputy Andrei Lugovoi in 2013 was among the authors of the law "On Amendments to the Federal Law" On Information, Information Technologies and the Protection of Information ". In accordance with the changes, since February 2014 it became possible to carry out pre-trial blocking of sites on charges of extremism.
According to human rights activists, this law is nothing more than an instrument of domestic Internet censorship. The Presidential Human Rights Council considers that this law severely restricts the constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens. Later, in 2014, Andrei Lugovoi appealed to the Prosecutor General’s Office with a request to verify the legitimacy of Yandex.
Awards
In March 2015, the politician received a high government award. For a significant contribution to the development of Russian parliamentarism and active lawmaking, Andrei Lugovoi received a medal of the Order of the II degree "For Merit to the Fatherland".
A family
The politician is married. In October 2012, he married a 23-year-old student, half his junior. Sometimes network users mistakenly call the name of the diplomat’s young wife, Maria Lugovaya. Andrei Lugovoi is actually not related to the life of a popular actress. They are just namesakes. The wife of the deputy was a former student from Nakhodka (Primorsky Territory) Ksenia Pyrova.
Andrei Lugovoi met his wife, as they say, on the street, near the store, where he came to choose products. The girl with her beauty made a very strong impression on the businessman. By that time, Lugovoi had been divorced for several years. The first wife of Andrei Lugovoi during their marriage gave birth to the policy of two daughters and a son. One of the daughters is two years older than his new wife.
Wedding of Meadow Andrey
On October 5, 2012, the young people played a luxurious wedding on the Black Sea coast in the Abrau-Durso reserve. Instead of traditional limousines, as evidenced by Hit magazine, a helicopter was chosen as a transport. The guests on the eve of the holiday were brought to Gelendzhik by a charter plane and placed at the Kempinski Grand Hotel - one of the most comfortable city hotels. The wedding lasted for several days. The main part of the holiday was spent in a restaurant located on a retractable platform by the lake. The honored artist of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Malezhik acted as a host.
Fourth child
In April 2015, the young wife of a politician gave birth to his son. Throughout pregnancy, Xenia’s interesting position was hidden even from her relatives. After the birth of the baby, the woman decided to publish a photo with a rounded belly on her Instagram page. The name of the newborn son is kept secret by parents.
