Former Russian VP Rutskoi To Run For Duma Seat

July 23, 2016

Aleksandr Rutskoi, Russia’s only vice president who later led an attempt to seize power from then Russian President Boris Yeltsin, has been registered as a candidate in September’s elections for the State Duma, or lower house of parliament.

Russian news agency TASS reported July 23 that Rutskoi was registered as a candidate in the Siem single-mandate election district No. 110, in the Kursk region.

Rutskoi was simultaneously denied registration to run for a seat in the Kursk regional legislature because he lacked the requisite number of signatures. 

TASS reported Kursk electoral authorities also denied registration to the Patrioty Rossii Party, of which Rutskoi is a member, and the Communists of Russia Party, citing their lack of the required number of signatures.

Rutskoi served as a pilot during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. He later became vice president of Russia in July 1991, just before the collapse of the Soviet Union and remained in that position until 1993 when he led efforts to remove Yeltsin.

Rutskoi and Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Khasbulatov briefly occupied the parliament building in late September-early October 1993 and a rebellious faction from the Supreme Soviet declared Rutskoi president.

Troops loyal to Yeltsin stormed the parliament building and placed Rutskoi and Khasbulatov under arrest. They were later jailed.

Rutskoi was freed under an amnesty in February 1994. He successfully ran for the office Kursk governor in 1996 and served one four-term in that post.

Based on reporting by TASS