President Vladimir Putin’s former bodyguard and chief of the National Guard has challenged opposition leader Alexei Navalny to a duel. (Rosguardia Press Service via AP) (Associated Press)MOSCOW — In an extraordinary public outburst, President Vladimir Putin’s former bodyguard and chief of the National Guard on Tuesday challenged opposition leader Alexei Navalny to a duel. Navalny, Russia’s most popular opposition leader, is currently in jail serving a 30-day sentence for organizing an unsanctioned public protest. Last month he published an investigation alleging that at least $29 million had been stolen in procurement contracts for the National Guard. “Zolotov’s public threats against Navalny should be taken without any irony,” said Ilya Yashin, an opposition activist and close friend of slain opposition leader Boris Nemtsov.

Source: Washington Post September 11, 2018 12:07 UTC