(Read full article on themoscowtimes.com)

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a notorious political showman and demagogue who founded Russia’s far-right Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) and led it for over 30 years, has died in a Moscow hospital, the lower-house State Duma confirmed Wednesday. He was 75.

According to Russian media reports, Zhirinovsky, who had been in declining health for some time, had been gravely ill for weeks after contracting Covid-19, despite claiming to have received eight vaccine doses.

In one of his last public appearances in late December, Zhirinovsky appeared to predict Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with startling accuracy, saying “At 4 a.m. on Feb. 22 you’ll feel our new policy.”

“I’d like for 2022 to be a peaceful year, but I love the truth. I’ve been telling the truth for 70 years. This will not be a peaceful year. This will be a year when Russia once again becomes a great country,” he said while addressing the Duma.