Gennady Gudkov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gennady Gudkov
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Геннадий Гудков
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Gudkov in 2021
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| Member of the State Duma | |
| In office 2001 – 14 September 2012 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gennady Vladimirovich Gudkov
15 August 1956 Kolomna, Moscow Oblast, RSFSR, Soviet Union |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Political party | Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1979-1991) People's Party of the Russian Federation (2004—2007) A Just Russia (2006—2013) Alliance of Greens and Social Democrats (2014-present) |
| Children | Dmitry and Vladimir |
| Alma mater | Kolomna State Pedagogical Institute (1978) |
| Occupation | politician, businessman |
| Known for | opposition to Vladimir Putin, expulsion from State Duma |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union Russia |
| Branch/service | Committee for State Security (KGB) Federal Security Service (FSB) |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
Gennady Vladimirovich Gudkov (born August 15, 1956) is a Russian politician and businessman. He is known for being a member of Russia's parliament who later became a strong critic of President Vladimir Putin.
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Early Life and Career
Gennady Gudkov was born in Kolomna, a city near Moscow in what was then the Soviet Union. In 1978, he graduated from a university where he studied languages and became a specialist in English. He also speaks German.
After college, Gudkov served in the Soviet Army for two years. He then joined the KGB, which was the main security agency of the Soviet Union. He worked for the KGB for about ten years and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.
In 1992, after leaving the security services, Gudkov started his own private security company. He also became involved with UNESCO, an organization that promotes international cooperation in education and science.
A Career in the State Duma
The State Duma is one of the two houses of the Russian parliament, similar to the House of Representatives in the United States. Gudkov was first elected to the Duma in 2001. He was re-elected in 2003 and 2007, serving for over a decade.
During his time in the Duma, Gudkov was involved in important discussions about national security. For example, after the Moscow theater hostage crisis in 2002, he commented on the need for stronger security forces. He also supported better pay for security officers to attract skilled people and prevent problems.
Becoming a Critic of the Government
Gudkov was first a member of the United Russia party, which supported President Putin. However, in 2007, he switched to the A Just Russia party. Many members of this party had different views from the government.
Over time, Gudkov began to speak out more openly against President Putin's government. He worried that Russia was becoming a one-party state, where there was no room for different political opinions.
In 2011, he gave a speech warning that people were unhappy and that big protests could happen if the elections were not fair. A video of this speech became very popular online in Russia.
Leading Protests
After the 2011 elections, Gudkov became a leader in the protests against the government. He and his son, Dmitry Gudkov, who was also a member of the Duma, opposed new laws that would create large fines for protesters.
Gennady Gudkov argued that these laws would take away people's right to protest peacefully. He believed that this could lead to more serious conflicts in the country. Because of his strong opposition, his family's security business faced many inspections from government agencies.
Losing His Seat in the Duma
In 2012, a special committee in the Duma was formed to look into Gudkov's business activities. He was accused of breaking rules that said members of parliament could not also run a business.
On September 15, 2012, the State Duma voted to remove Gudkov from his position. The vote was 291 in favor and 150 against. Gudkov said the vote was an unfair punishment for his criticism of the government. His party leader, Sergey Mironov, also called the removal unlawful.
Many experts believed that Gudkov lost his seat because he was a vocal critic of President Putin. They saw it as part of a larger effort to silence opposition voices.
Life After the Duma
After being removed from parliament, Gudkov continued to be involved in politics. In 2013, he started a new political group called the Social Democrats of Russia. A year later, this group joined with another party.
In 2019, Gudkov moved to Varna, a city in Bulgaria. He said he moved as a safety measure.
Family
Gennady Gudkov is married and has two sons, Dmitry and Vladimir. His son, Dmitry Gudkov, also served in the State Duma and was known for opposing the government. In 2021, Dmitry also left Russia and moved to Bulgaria to be with his parents.
