Russian presidential candidate Ivan Rybkin, whose mystery disappearance triggered speculation he might have been kidnapped by rivals, turned up in Ukraine Tuesday where he said he had been taking a break.
"I like Kiev in February"
The rest of us prefer the Carribean
Rybkin, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin whom he will challenge in next month’s election, told Russian media he was surprised at the fuss caused by his failure to contact family and aides.
People dissappear all the time round here
"I didn’t disappear anywhere. I bought a newspaper today and was stunned," Ekho Moskvy radio quoted him as saying. Rybkin, who disappeared last Thursday, told Interfax news agency that he was entitled to go on a short break.
At least until the heat wears off
"I have the right to two or three days of personal life. I went to Kiev to my friends, walked around, switched off my mobile phones, and didn’t watch TV," he was quoted as saying.
Met a girl on the Internet did he?
| So, was it just a stunt? Something for publicity? To raise suspicions (as quickly erupted here and in the press) about Putin? Did he go on a bender and wake up in Kiev not knowing where he was, in a dingy motel next to someone named Tiffany? |
|