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Former Russian Vice President resigns from “Silicon Valley” after condemning war in Ukraine

A former Russian deputy prime minister who opposed the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine has resigned as chairman of a well-known institution after a lawmaker accused him of “national treason” and demanded his expulsion, Reuters reported.

Arkady Dvorkovich, Russia’s deputy prime minister from 2012 to 2018, became one of the top Russian officials to question the war, when he told US media this week that “his thoughts were with the Ukrainians.” citizens ”.

His comments prompted a senior lawmaker in the ruling party to demand his dismissal and accuse him of being part of a “fifth phalanx” that is undermining Russia.

The 49-year-old has been the president of the Skolkovo Foundation since 2018, a hub of innovation and technology on the outskirts of Moscow that describes itself as a kind of Russian Silicon Valley.

On Friday, the Skolkovo Foundation said in a statement that Dvorkovich had decided to resign. He was not immediately available for comment. He remains President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

Igor Suvalov, chairman of the foundation’s board, said Dvorkovit had resigned, saying he could no longer combine his duties at Skolkovo with his responsibilities at FIDE in the current circumstances.

Thousands have been arrested in connection with Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, which officials in Moscow have described as a “special military operation” to “demilitarize and demilitarize” Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday issued a stern warning to people he called “traitors” to Russia, whom he said the West wanted to use as a fifth phalanx to destroy the country.

Following his comments to the Western media, Dvorkovich said in a statement on Skolkovo’s website that he was “sincerely proud of the courage of our (Russian) soldiers” and that Russia had been targeted by “harsh and unreasonable sanctions”.

But the next day, Andrei Turchak, a member of parliament from the ruling United Russia party, demanded his dismissal.

“He has made his choice,” Turcak said. “This is nothing but the national betrayal itself, the behavior of the fifth phalanx, which the president spoke about today.”

Source: Capital

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