Russian opposition leader Ilya Ponomaryov appealed to the Ukrainian authorities to allow him to head alternative authorities in the territory of the Kursk region, which is currently under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In his interview with the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, Ponomaryov argued that the implementation of this initiative can ensure international recognition for the "Congress" of Russian opposition forces, which he heads.
Ponomaryov noted that their organization is not officially recognized by any state at the moment, and that if Ukraine allows their plans to establish authorities in these territories to be implemented, it will automatically give them political subjectivity not only within Russia. According to him, a white-blue-white flag will fly on the buildings of state administrations in the Kursk region, which will become a symbol of their recognition.
He also said that he is currently in the USA and is actively lobbying for this idea among American politicians. According to the Polish publication, Ponomaryov has not yet discussed this idea with the Ukrainian authorities.
The Russian opposition publication "Sota" notes that Ponomaryov's relations with other representatives of the anti-Putin opposition are strained. Some of the members of the "Congress" previously planned to remove Ponomaryev from leadership positions and continue activities without him. The "Freedom of Russia" Legion, which fights on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, announced at the end of July that it would cease any interaction with Ponomariov, and soon after that his house was attacked by a drone, which, according to the opposition, is a provocation from the Russian Federation.
Previously, the Russian opposition gallerist Marat Gelman also expressed the idea of the possibility of creating alternative authorities in the Russian Federation, if part of the Kursk region remains under the control of Ukrainian forces.
