A Russian politician from Vladimir Putin’s party has sparked outrage by posting a social media snap of a fridge-full of caviar with the message “Crisis? Nope, never heard of it”.
Yulia Velichko, a conservative politician for President Putin’s party ‘United Russia’ also known as the ‘All-Russia People’s Front’, caused a stir when she posted the caviar photo on Instagram.
During times of economic hardship in the country, Velichko accompanied the picture of a fridge-full of red caviar with the message: “Crisis? Nope, never heard of it.”
Netizens responded angrily, appealing to the politician’s conscience and even threatening to report her to the Prosecutor General’s office.
Following the backlash, Velichko has removed the photo from Instagram and claimed that it was just a joke, according to reports.
She also said the fridge was not her and that she found the photo on the internet.
Velichko wrote: “Unfortunately, the posted photo was not my refrigerator. In mine, there is not any caviar, only cloudberry and lingonberry jam – souvenirs from the north, tasty and useful.”
However, despite apparently trying to backpedal from her original post, some netizens remained suspicious.
One Instagram user remarked: “But that is not fact. Maybe you have two fridges? Why are you making excuses?”
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Story By: Ginger Mahotchina, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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