Girkin claims that Le Pen visited separatist financier Malofeev
Former pro-Russian separatist commander Igor Girkin, also known as Strelkov, wrote on his page in Vkontakte social network regarding French Presidential Candidate Marine Le Pen. He claimed that in 2013, Le Pen visited the office of businessman Konstantin Malofeev, who became known in 2014 in connection with the war in the Donbas.
"They ask about my attitude towards Marine Le Pen, her chances of winning, etc. What to say? I saw her once, when she visited Malofeev's office in 2013. But I did not talk to her. In general, I sympathize with her. But I have no interest in her political career whatsoever, simply because for Russia—and even for the Russian federation—her victory or defeat has practically no value,” he said.
Girkin went on to say that, “If she still wins by some miracle, because most of the so-called French "elite" are against her, she will be forced to continue the same policy as all her predecessors led. That’s because neither France nor Marine herself are capable of a revolution, even "from above" and will not go for it. And without the revolution, the process of self-destruction of France cannot be stopped. It has become almost irreversible."
According to media reports, billionaire Konstantin Malofeev maintains contacts with European far-right politicians. At the end of May 2014, he organized and moderated in Vienna a meeting of Russian and European far-right politicians. In April 2014, he helped Jean-Marie Le Pen to receive a loan of 2 million euros from the Russian-owned company.
Malofeev gained notoriety in 2014 in connection with the war in the Donbas. In particular, his former employees, Alexander Boroday and Igor Strelkov occupied key positions in the separatist DPR. The "charity fund" of St Basil the Great that he headed helped the Cossack units who fought on the side of separatists.
Due to the support provided to the separatists in the Donbas, Malofeev fell under the sanctions imposed by the EU, the U.S. and Canada. On July 22, 2014, the Main Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine opened criminal proceedings against Malofeev on suspicion of creating paramilitary or armed formations against the law, an offense outlined in Article 260 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
In addition, in March 2015, the authorities of the annexed Crimea awarded him with the medal "For Loyalty to Duty."