Medvedev: Ready to die for his ideals

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told a bold student at Moscow State University who asked him a challenging question that he is ready to defend his ideals to the bitter end. Medvedev met with journalism students at the university on Wednesday, and a student asked him: “A serious revolutionary situation is brewing up in the country… What will be your personal behavior strategy during a revolution?” “Are you ready to stand a popular trial and defend each of your decisions and ideals?” the student, who said his name was Vladimir Kulikov, asked. “Do you realize that you may even be sentenced to death? Are you ready to accept it bravely and clearly, like Saddam Hussein did, or will you emigrate to friendly North Korea?” Medvedev said: “You have probably asked the boldest question in your life. I congratulate you on that… I will answer you extremely honestly. Any person elected to the presidential post must be prepared for everything, and I am also ready for everything.” The president said that despite various predictions on the nearest future of Russia and the March elections, the issue of a revolution is out of the question. “I do not want the events in our country to develop in line with a revolutionary or any other extreme scenario and, to tell you the truth, I do not see enough prerequisites for this,” he said. The persistent student then once again asked the president whether he was prepared to die for his ideals. “If you need a clear answer - of course I am ready to die for my ideals,” Medvedev said. “By the way, ideals are not only the Constitution and a set of elevated values, they also include the family, children and all the rest. These are also values for which we all should be prepared to suffer proceeding from various considerations,” he said. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin-led United Russia party won the December 4 parliamentary elections in Russia but critics claimed the vote had been skewed in favor of United Russia. The authorities admitted that minor violations had occurred during the vote, but denied claims that the irregularities affected the vote’s results. Vote rigging allegations led to the largest anti-government protests for almost two decades, with demonstrators demanding a rerun and the dismissal of election chief Vladimir Churov. Putin served two terms as Russia’s president between 2000 and 2008, but was barred from standing for a third consecutive term by the Constitution. He became prime minister after his handpicked successor, Dmitry Medvedev, became president. Putin is considered the most likely candidate to win the presidential election on March 4. However, analysts say his declining popularity could see him forced into a runoff. Medvedev, who decided against running in this year’s presidential elections, said on Wednesday he might run again in the future.