Message to Putin? Russian oppositionist asked to carry McCain’s coffin at ceremony


Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza will be one of those who will carry the coffin of US Senator John McCain during Saturday’s farewell ceremony in Washington.

That was the wish of McCain, who had planned out his own funeral before the death, politico.com reports.

Apart from Kara-Murza, former Vice-President Joe Biden, former Democratic Senator Russ Feingold, former Defense Secretary William Cohen, actor Warren Beatty will be taking the coffin to the entrance to the National Cathedral, where a memorial service is to be held.

Washington, March, 2017. Vladimir Kara-Murza and john McCain

McCain repeatedly met with Kara-Murza, deputy chairman of the Russian movement Open Russia and head of Boris Nemtsov’s Foundation for Freedom. The late US Senator called Kara-Murza his friend. When Kara-Murza was treated, McCain said a prayer for his health in the Senate and accused Vladimir Putin of attempting to poison the oppositionist.

According to Politico, the last will may be regarded as a message to the Russian President and his US counterpart Donald Trump. The latter was constantly criticized by McCain for his ‘softness’ toward the Kremlin.

At the end of 2016, John McCain met with Belarusian oppositionists in Vilnius. Then Belsat TV stood a chance to ask the politician about his vision of Minsk-Moscow relations.

It is leaked out that there is some tension between Putin and Lukashenka, that they do not lile each other, do not cooperate to the extent as it was before. Of course, I am not an expert, but I think Belarusians do deserve something more than what they have today,” McCain said.

John McCain died of brain cancer on August 25, 2018.

belsat.eu, following politico.com

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