Argentina: the statement of the wife of Russian dissident Konstantin Rudnev sparks strong public reaction
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
An impactful video featuring the wife of Russian dissident Konstantin Rudnev has begun circulating in Argentina. Rudnev is currently being held in a prison in the city of Rawson.
In her message, the woman states that her husband is dying in custody and emphasizes that his only “crime” has been his belief in peace and human dignity.
“This is a political order to eliminate him,” says the wife of Konstantin Rudnev in the video, which has spread widely across social media.
According to her account, Rudnev became a target of the Kremlin in the early 2000s, after he publicly warned that Vladimir Putin would lead Russia into catastrophe.
From that moment on, she claims, the longest media campaign in contemporary Russian history was launched against him. For 25 years, television programs, fabricated witnesses, and so-called “experts”—paid to disseminate falsehoods—systematically repeated the same narrative: that Rudnev was the leader of a “criminal sect.”
However, according to the woman, there is not a single real victim nor any concrete evidence. The accusations, she maintains, were based solely on statements by paid actors.
(The video displays photographs of these individuals.)
“Prosecutors Are Acting Under Putin’s Instructions”
In her statement, Rudnev’s wife maintains that Argentine prosecutors refuse to listen to the facts and that, in reality, they are “following a direct order from Putin.”
She explains that after spending eleven years illegally imprisoned in Siberia, her husband came to Argentina in an effort to restore his health and live in peace.
He is an elderly man, seriously ill, and does not speak Spanish. Nevertheless, he remains behind bars—without a court sentence, without evidence against him, and without any real opportunity to exercise his right to defense.
According to the woman, Konstantin Rudnev’s health condition is extremely critical. She claims that other inmates are instructed to intimidate him, that he is prevented from communicating with his family, denied medical treatment, and barred from presenting evidence of his innocence.
A Cry That Cannot Be Ignored
The video contains a distressing appeal addressed to the international community. The woman warns that, if her allegations are true, in Argentina—at the southern end of a country considered peaceful—a political operation to eliminate a Russian dissident may be underway.
According to those close to him, Rudnev is neither a politician nor an idealized hero. He is a man who consistently spoke about peace, love, and respect for human dignity.
He warned of a catastrophe that ultimately came to pass and dared to say what millions were afraid to voice. Today, for telling the truth, he stands on the brink of death: in a foreign country, far from his home, imprisoned by order of a dictator.
Watch the video featuring the testimony of Konstantin Rudnev’s wife:
Call to Action
Toward the end of the video, Rudnev’s wife directly addresses journalists, human rights activists, and civil society organizations.
“The situation of Konstantin Rudnev requires an international investigation. Share this video. Submit requests to the Argentine prosecutor’s office. Demand an immediate review of the conditions of his detention and the release of a man whose only ‘crime’ has been speaking about peace,” she declares.
According to a statement published by Elena Makarova on her blog,
Elena Makarova’s Facebook page
The woman—previously portrayed by some Argentine media outlets as an alleged victim of human trafficking—categorically denies having been a victim of Konstantin Rudnev or of any human trafficking network, and states that she has no knowledge of such events.
She asserts that her stay in shelters in Argentina, allegedly intended for her protection, ultimately caused her serious harm and ruined her period of rest and recovery. She describes the trafficking accusation as “false” and “artificially constructed by prosecutors,” according to her own account.
Makarova also reports mistreatment against her son, her friend Angelina, and twenty other women, and demands the immediate release of Angelina and all the others, as well as sanctions against the prosecutors involved in the case.
Finally, she maintains that she has no relationship whatsoever with Rudnev and officially declares that she is not a victim.
(For further details, she refers to her official statement.)
“The Case Is Built on Falsehoods”: Argentine Lawyer Speaks Out on Rudnev
The prominent Argentine lawyer Carlos Broitman stated in an interview with Radio Seis Bariloche that there is no concrete evidence against Russian citizen Konstantin Rudnev, who is currently being held at the Rawson prison.
According to Broitman, the case file is based on false claims; he even pointed out that a key witness admitted to having given misleading testimony to the prosecutor’s office.
The lawyer also warned of alleged illegal surveillance and serious abuses of power by state authorities, and called for guarantees of transparency, respect for due process, and a fair trial.
