RUSSIA: ALEXANDER LEBED DEFENDS HIMSELF AGAINST SLANDER CHARGES

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Russian/Nat Russian politician Alexander Lebed attended a Moscow court Wednesday to defend himself against charges of slander. The outspoken former Chief of Russia's Security Council was forced to appear in court by current Interior Minister Anatoly Kulikov. Kulikov himself did not show for the opening day of the trial as he was busy at Russia's signing ceremony for a new integration treaty with Belarus. Russia's former Security chief Alexander Lebed had to appear in a Moscow court Wednesday to answer slander charges. he's been brought to book by Interior Minister Anatoly Kulikov, who is less than pleased with the recalcitrant ex-general. On a trip to the United States last November, Lebed called Kulikov a "Mafia godfather", labeling him one of Russia's most corrupt officials and a player in organized crime. Kulikov is suing Lebed on slander charges for the sum of 100 million rubles -- approximately 20-thousand dollars (U-S). But Lebed was unapologetic. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "Soldiers are always the same, everything depends on the General leading them, it's the same in the government, all the corrupted people still remain and basically it's all the same as it was before, and you know it's the same with the Interior Ministry." SUPER CAPTION: Alexander Lebed, former Chief of Russian Security Council And as for the new Moscow accord with Belarussia, Lebed was scornful of President Yeltsin pushing ahead with it without consulting the Duma first. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "In regards to the Russian/Belarussian union, I don't know and no one knows what are the conditions of this document signed. What do we have a Tsar? Or a President? If he's a President then he should inform the people about what this union really means." SUPER CAPTION: Alexander Lebed, former Chief of Russian Security Council The former Russian security chief is as close to controversy as he ever was, but he's still no nearer his prize- the Kremlin. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/a4b71cda9364ede5f582d595d97068f1 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork