In a new incident involving Russian dissident Alexander Mironovahis wife, Alexandra Petrachkova, was attacked this Friday in Buenos Aires by a man who hit her in the face and gave her the same message that her husband had received yesterday: “Stay away from Russia and Russian politics”. The event occurred around 9 in the morning in front of the family’s residence in the Palermo neighborhood of the Argentine capital.
“I went to take my son to the garden and when I came back this man came up from behind. He was a very tall man, very big”, Petrachkova tells infobae. The woman was with her 10-month-old son in the stroller. After the attack, the victim screamed, alerting workers at a nearby construction site. The men, however, were unable to reach the assailant.
“He ran for a block and a half, went into a park and fledPetrachkova said.
According to the woman, the attacker is possibly the same person who yesterday sought to intimidate her husband with the same words that she heard today: “Stay away from Russia and Russian politics”.
It is a tall individual, with features that resembled those of a northern European, according to Petrachkova.
“He had light skin, but he didn’t look Russian,” he said. “It didn’t hit hard”he added.
Petrachkova is married to Maxim Mironov, a leading Russian economist and activist. The woman is a PhD in Political Science from the University of California and a professor of Russian politics at the Torquato di Tella University in Buenos Aires. The couple has been living in Argentina since 2008.
As reported to infobae For both Petrachkova and Mironov, the nature of the beatings suggests that the primary purpose may have been to send an intimidating message rather than to cause serious physical harm.
“They want to show that they are close to my family,” Mironov said.
According to Petrachkovathe assailant is not an isolated fan of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He seems like a person who has one goal, which is to intimidate this family,” he says. “He looks more like an Intelligence professional.”
After the fact, the woman filed a complaint at Police Station 14/A in the city of Buenos Aires, which was added to the one filed yesterday by her husband. The complaints, to which she had access infobaeconfirm the accounts of both Mironov like Petrachkova.
The authorities are investigating the fact. They increased surveillance in the family’s home and made an “anti-panic button” available to use in the event of a new attack.
“The Kremlin has the resources to get here”
Petrachkova and Mironov They said that it is the first time they have suffered an episode of these characteristics in the fifteen years they have lived in Argentina.
“We always feel safe here, because it is so far away,” says Petrachkova.
However, he believes that after the Kremlin’s wave of repression against activists in Russia and Europe, the Kremlin has now extended surveillance networks to Latin America, where historically there were none.
“Now they seem to have the resources to get here”, he assures.
Who is Maxim Mironov
In recent years, Mironov has become a point of reference for those seeking critical information and analysis on Russian politics and its international maneuvers. His Twitter account, with millions of daily impressions, is one of the most influential in his country.
He also stands out as an expert economist in the analysis of customs flows and since November 2022 he began to publish detailed analyzes on how Russia has managed to evade international sanctions in key sectors such as Petroleum and the semiconductors.
This, according to Mironov, could have increased the Russian government’s dislike of him. His concerns grew after recent revelations that several Russian journalists and activists who fled Russia suffered symptoms of poisoning that suggested orchestrated nerve agent attacks.
In addition to his research and online presence, Mironov has been active in Russian politics. He was a member of the team of the imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny and contributed to the writing of his presidential program.
Mironov explained that his decision to leave Russia was motivated by the perception that the then president Vladimir Putin he had no intention of giving up power. He became more actively involved in politics from 2011, in an attempt to contribute to political change from abroad. Despite the geographical distance from him, Mironov has maintained his commitment to Russian politics and keep in touch with Navalny.
Keep reading:
A prominent Russian dissident denounced an episode of intimidation in Argentina
Source-www.infobae.com