Medvedev calls young opponents of the war in Ukraine "idiots with brain problems"

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, launched a crude attack on young Russians opposed to the war in Ukraine. He made the remarks on Wednesday at a meeting of the ruling United Russia party, according to the state news agency TASS.

"Young people who deliberately protest against everything, including the special military operation, often simply don't understand what they're doing. Their behavior stems from stupidity and a lack of awareness," Medvedev said.

According to the politician, many young people fall for various promises. "Idiots — well, such young people, let's say, sometimes get swayed by all sorts of promises, some measly money, or they simply protest against everything," he added.

Patriotic education as a "solution"

"We simply need to recognize that a lot of people have problems with their brains," Medvedev said, adding that the solution could lie in promoting patriotic work. In his view, war veterans could visit Russian schools to share their experiences with students, so that young people would follow their example, notes the Russian opposition outlet The Moscow Times.

The politician also said his party, United Russia, needs to pay more attention to young people who oppose the war.

Timing coincides with Yabloko's disqualification

Medvedev's tirade against the younger generation came just days after Russia's Supreme Court barred the anti-war liberal party Yabloko from taking part in September's parliamentary elections — at the request of the pro-Kremlin nationalist party Rodina.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz