Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has on Friday offered the position of his authorized representative in the Urals region to a man who has offered to disperse opposition rallies in Moscow with a bunch of friends.
Igor Kholmanskikh, a foreman at the Uralvagonzavod tank making plant, became famous in December 2011 when during a phone-in show with Putin he offered to come to Moscow with his friends and break up opposition rallies in protest against parliamentary election results.
“I saw you get actively involved in critical public activism,” Putin told him.
“Moreover, you’ve even created an entire public movement and are now in the process of establishing a public organization, In Defense of the Working Man.”
“I would like to make you an offer: I’m offering you the position of the president’s authorized representative to the Urals Federal District,” Putin said.
In that position, Kholmanskikh will be able to make use of the people he has been working with, Putin added.