Let’s have a fight, Putin ally tells Kremlin critic

A CLOSE ally of Vladimir Putin has threatened Alexei Navalny, a Kremlin critic, with violence, challenging him to a fight for making what he described as incorrect and insulting corruption accusations.

Viktor Zolotov, the head of Russia’s National Guard, appeared visibly angry in the almost seven-minute clip aired online as he rejected allegations made by Mr Navalny about graft.

“I simply challenge you to a fight – in the ring, on the tatami [mat], whatever, and I promise to make nice, juicy mincemeat of you in a few minutes,” Mr Zolotov said, raising his fist.

Leonid Volkov, an ally of Mr Navalny, wrote: “Towards the end there are very serious and open threats. It’s not funny, it’s highly unpleasant.”