A split in the Sochi branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation resulted in injuries and a police report.

Former Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) member Viktor Smirnov was forcibly prevented from entering the Sochi party office - an intra-party conflict escalated into a physical confrontation. He sustained injuries and filed a police report.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," a group of Sochi communists elected Inna Pagayeva as their leader, but some of their fellow party members disagreed. The regional CPRF body declared the decision invalid. As a result, a split occurred within the ranks of the Sochi communists, with two de facto leadership centers now operating. The Presidium of the CPRF Control and Auditing Commission for Krasnodar Krai expelled Inna Pagayeva, head of the Sochi branch, from the party. She sent an appeal to the party leader and the Central Committee of the party, demanding that the illegality of the decision be recognized. The Communists are convinced that this is a "cleansing of the ranks" before the elections.

Former Communist Party member reported being beaten at the party's city committee

On June 24, 59-year-old pensioner and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, former Communist Party member Viktor Smirnov, underwent a forensic medical examination at the direction of the police after receiving bodily injuries on June 21 at the entrance to the Communist Party's city committee in Sochi.

"The expert will have to determine the severity and mechanism of the injuries. After that, a procedural decision will be made regarding the person who committed the unlawful acts," the duty officer of the Central District Police Department of Sochi told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Viktor Smirnov filed a statement with the police, in which he detailed the circumstances of the incident. A copy of the document is in the possession of the editorial staff.

I was supposed to deliver a collective appeal to State Duma Deputy Nikolai Osadchy regarding the situation in the Sochi branch of the party.

According to Smirnov, on the morning of June 21, he went to the premises of the Sochi city branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, located at 34 Vorovskogo Street. "At about 8:40 a.m. Moscow time, I approached the building of the city committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. I was supposed to deliver a collective appeal to State Duma Deputy Nikolai Osadchy regarding the situation in the Sochi branch of the party," he told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. A copy of the appeal, which bears the signatures of more than 30 people, is in the possession of the editorial staff.

By According to Smirnov, a hearing on the issue of expelling several activists from the party was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Moscow time that same day.

“One of them, Igor Volin, gave me a notarized power of attorney to represent his interests, since he could not be present in person. Not long before this, I myself was expelled from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, and I consider this decision unfounded,” said Smirnov.

Igor Volin confirmed to the correspondent that the power of attorney had been issued. A copy of it is also in the possession of the editorial staff.

Inna Pagaeva, elected by the majority of delegates as chairperson of the Sochi City Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, confirmed That Smirnov was instructed to deliver a collective appeal through the public reception office of State Duma Deputy Nikolai Osadchy. According to her, Osadchy's assistant in Sochi is City Assembly deputy Vladislav Zhironkin, who was supposed to accept and register the appeal.

"As far as I know, he refused to accept the document. After that, a conflict ensued, as a result of which Smirnov sustained bodily injuries," she told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Smirnov himself said that at the entrance to the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) office, Sergei Baskakov, a deputy of the Sochi City Assembly from the CPRF, blocked his way.

"I explained that I had come to deliver a collective appeal and to attend the meeting by proxy. However, Baskakov did not allow me to enter. "As far as I know, he previously ran a private security company," Smirnov said.

There were at least three blows to the face. I hit my head very hard on the pavement. My head and back hurt very badly.

In a statement to the police (a copy is in the possession of the "Caucasian Knot"), he writes: "I was beaten by Sergei Fedorovich Baskakov in the presence of a number of people. There were at least three blows to the face. I hit my head very hard on the asphalt. My head and back hurt very badly," Smirnov writes in a statement asking that the deputy be held accountable.

Former first secretary of the Sochi city committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Igor Vasiliev reported that he also signed a collective appeal addressed to Osadchy.

"Around nine o'clock in the morning, Smirnov called me and said that Zhirinkin had not accepted the appeal, and that he himself had been attacked. and beating. Zhirinkin observed the beating and didn't even try to stop his comrade. It was clear from his voice that Viktor was having difficulty speaking. I recommended that he immediately contact the police and a medical facility," he told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to medical records, at 12:38 p.m. Moscow time that same day, Smirnov was taken to the emergency room of Sochi City Hospital No. 4. The doctor sent him for a CT scan of the brain with a preliminary diagnosis of "closed traumatic brain injury." According to the medical certificate, the CT scan showed no traumatic changes. The patient was diagnosed with a soft tissue contusion of the head, and painkillers and limited physical activity were recommended.

Following the report, investigator A. of the Central District Police Department of Sochi  Mikaelyan registered the investigation materials in the Criminal Procedure Code (KUSP) No. 32360 and ordered a forensic medical examination to determine the extent of the damage to health, which Viktor Smirnov underwent on June 24.

Representatives of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation linked the incident to a split in the Sochi branch.