Russian general who referred to Putin adversaries as 'scum' getting sacked

Lieutenant General Andrey Gurulev, a State Duma deputy, is to be removed from the Defense Committee of the lower house of parliament. Instead, he is set to be included in the State Duma committee on regional policy and local self-government.

Gurulev has become well-known largely due to his sharp and scandalous statements. In particular, he called for a nuclear strike on the Netherlands, proposed reintroducing a tax on childlessness, and referred to those who disagree with the policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin as "scum."

Gurulev has agreed with the "decision of the leadership" regarding his transfer. The draft resolution was submitted by the State Duma's rules committee and has undergone legal review. The draft will be considered at the State Duma meeting on February 11.

Gurulev himself has already stated that he fully supports the "decision of the leadership." In his opinion, the transfer is dictated by his active work on "issues related to the lives of citizens at the local level."

"I have always believed that the problems of regions and local self-government require special attention, and I hope that my experience in this area will allow me to make a significant contribution to the development of initiatives aimed at improving people's lives. We will continue to address the most pressing and urgent issues," he said.

Gurulev has repeatedly voiced loud and scandalous ideas. Among them was a call for a nuclear strike on the Netherlands. He explained that by stating that about 50-60% of the infrastructure supplying Europe with hydrocarbon fuel is concentrated on the Dutch coast. This makes it a "prime target" for military personnel, who, by striking this infrastructure, could "bring Europe to its knees," the parliamentarian claimed.

He also proposed reintroducing a tax on childlessness, as was the case during the USSR.

"What remains of a man in this life? If you're carried out feet first tomorrow, what's left? First, your name; second, your children. Everything else is of no interest to anyone," Gurulev stated.

The proposal was criticized by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who urged deputies to "think before voicing initiatives."

Additionally, he essentially referred to Russians who do not support Putin as 'scum.' 

"I would like, in our society, 80 percent of which trusts the president, for all this scum that remains to be, if not isolated, then at least somehow eliminated," Gurulev said.

Later, he clarified that he did not mean the entire opposition but only a part of people who propose ending the special military operation.

It was also claimed that the deputy called for the revival of the GULAG camps in Russia. However, he clarified that he meant punishment for people actively "harming the state," such as those setting fire to relay cabinets. He also added that he was speaking about his personal desire, which was not expressed in the form of any proposals or initiatives.

Gurulev's assistant caused a drunken scene on a plane

In early December, Gurulev's assistant, Adam Isluev, caused a drunken scene on a plane, which was captured on video. He was supposed to fly from Moscow to Chita and, in a state of severe intoxication, swore at passengers and crew members, shouted curses, and even threatened to "clean everyone's clocks." The troublemaker then hit one of the flight attendants. Isluev was removed from the flight and detained.

Gurulev later fired his assistant. "I apologize to everyone who was inconvenienced," the deputy added.

Details

The State Duma is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, the upper house being the Federation Council. It was established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation in 1993. The Duma headquarters are located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to as deputies. The State Duma replaced the Supreme Soviet as a result of the new constitution introduced by Boris Yeltsin in the aftermath of the Russian constitutional crisis of 1993, and approved in a nationwide referendum.