by Zara Mustapha

A Russian politician may be facing serious legal problems after he publicly ordered two of his aides to ‘violently rape’ a pregnant journalist who worked for Russia Today at a press conference.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a pro-Kremlin political leader launched a long and angry speech of criticisms after reporter Stella Dubovitskaya, who is 6-months pregnant, asked him a question about sanctions against Ukraine.

Responding to her question, Zhironovsky grabbed two of his male aides, telling them, “When I say, you run to her and violently rape her” before shoving them in her direction and shouting: “Go and kiss her. Grab her.”

Daily Mail reports:

The 67-year-old MP’s outburst came before a deadly gunfight at a Ukraine checkpoint controlled by pro-Russian separatists tore apart an Easter truce.

The attack raised tensions and led separatists to call for Russian military intervention to protect civilians

Moscow and local militia claimed five people were killed in the firefight at around 1am yesterday near Slavyansk, blaming a far-right group for the attack.

‘The Easter truce has been violated,’ the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

‘This provocation…testifies to the lack of will on the part of the Kiev authorities to rein in and disarm extremists.’

The politician approaches the female reporter – gesticulating at her wildly. He then told her: ‘This is no place for you if you’re pregnant’.

But Ukraine has accused Moscow of a ‘cynical provocation’ staged by outside forces.

Yesterday Pope Francis prayed in his Easter message that God would ‘enlighten and inspire the initiatives that promote peace in Ukraine, so that all those involved…will make every effort to prevent violence’.

The fatal assault was the first serious violence since last week’s signing of a proposed peace plan between Russia, Ukraine, the US and the European Union.

The deal requires illegal military groups to disband and for gangs to leave seized buildings.

 

Two of Zhirinovsky’s aides then approach the woman, following his commands. One grabs the pregnant reporter while others jump to her defence

It was rejected by separatist leaders, who still occupy police stations and government offices in at least ten cities. Ukraine’s interim prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of trying to ‘restore the Soviet Union.’ 

He said that if Putin succeeded it would be ‘the biggest disaster of this century’.

In Moscow, Zhirinovsky’s conduct towards the pregnant reporter has been referred to the Russian parliament’s ethics commission and he faces legal action from Miss Dubovitskaya’s employer, news agency Russia Today.

 

 

One of the man’s aides turns to look at Zhirinovsky – who then calls one of the reporter’s defenders an ‘interfering lesbian.’ Stella Dubovitskaya is now in hospital following her ordeal

‘Due to the disgusting incident in the state duma, after which our correspondent was hospitalised because of Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s discourtesy, we have decided to use all legal options to punish Mr Zhirinovsky as severely as possible under the law, including by suing him,’ said general director Margareta Simonyan.

After Miss Dubovitskaya’s question, the founder of the far right Liberal Democratic Party began shouting before manhandling two young male aides towards the pregnant mother-of-one.

He then shouted to them: ‘When I say, you run to her and violently rape her.’

 

 

Zhirinovsky apologised for his actions during a live interview on Russian television this evening

 

The man said: ‘When talking to the press in the Duma on Friday, answering questions at the end, I spoke a bit rudely when I replied to a young woman. I offer my apologies to her and to everyone, if I happened to offend someone’

A male journalist told Zhirinovsky: ‘She is pregnant, why are you attacking her?’ 

Zhirinovsky then pushed two aides towards the journalist, who is six months pregnant, shouting: ‘Go and kiss her. Grab her.’

One physically touched Miss Dubovitskaya, to the shock of the watching press, with several female reporters recoiling. 

 

The gun battle was evidence that Ukraine is not reining in gun-wielding far right extremists, Russia claimed

 

 

The attack shows that the Ukrainian authorities are failing to rein in armed extremists, Russia’s foreign ministry said today

At this point, another female reporter,  Yulia Chuchalova from news agency Interfax, told Zhirinovsky: ‘This is derogatory, humiliating – what are you doing here?’ 

Zhirinovsky hit back: ‘What are you doing intervening here, you lesbian? Get out of here.’

He shouted: ‘This is no place for you if you’re pregnant. We need healthy people. Pregnant women should not show up at work. Sit at home and look after your child, got that?’

He then shouted ‘get out of here, you damned lesbians’.