Fight without rules: how Dobkin and Terekhov arranged “mochilovo” each other in the mayoral elections in Kharkiv

Elections in Ukraine, be they presidential, parliamentary or local, almost always turn into a confrontation with compromising evidence, accusations and attempts to denigrate the enemy. Everything that happens this year in Kharkov – read the material.

Humorous comics

At the beginning of the election race for the candidate Igor Terekhov, they decided to hit with a comic series “See of the 1st capital”… The eponymous Facebook page appeared at the end of March. A total of 9 issues were published. The last one is dated June 14th.

The main characters are very similar to real politicians. For example, Mikhail Dobkin is the prototype of Don Marksovich, and Igor Terekhov is the prototype of Zamych Bledny. “A little gray, a little pale” in an interview with reporters, Dobkin himself named his main competitor.

In the comic, the hero of ZamZamych the Pale is portrayed as a complete loser: with saliva in his mouth, he asks for money for the election campaign, disguises himself as a woman to get into the headquarters of a competitor, and draws ratings for himself. Dobkin’s character is shown only in a favorable light.

The comic book character was written off from one of the candidates for the post of mayor of Kharkov / Comics “See of the 1st capital”

The authorship of the artists is not indicated. The description only says that this is a project of a group of local residents. They describe their work as follows:

“We want to popularize political processes so that Kharkiv citizens understand them and make an informed choice. If one of the heroes of our comics seems familiar to you, do not even hesitate – this is not accidental”.

Social media insults

On social networks, real battles have been going on between the two main contenders for the chair of the mayor of Kharkov for several months.

In the summer, candidates spent their money not on vacations, but on billboards. Mikhail Dobkin, not embarrassed in his expressions, complained that his posters were being torn down on Terekhov’s orders:

“A cowardly and presumptuous misunderstanding, temporarily occupying a place in the leadership of Kharkov, on the day off drove the public utilities to cut off my billboards. Even the nationalist guards were brought in. The police apparently guard those advertising structures where there is the name of the favorite of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs”, – Dobkin was indignant in his Telegram channel.

Called Terekhova “goof” because of a video message in which he said that he was proud of his participation in the construction of the temple and criticized the interim head for the failed antiquity policy.

By the way, we have collected the most selective mutual insults on the verge of a foul in the current elections in Kharkov. Igor Terekhov and Mikhail Dobkin did not hesitate to express themselves and spoke extremely negatively about each other throughout the campaign.

Losing the fight against coronavirus

The topic of the pandemic is like an Achilles’ heel for Terekhov. And this was often used by his rival. Here are some quotes from Dobkin’s posts:

“Vaccination failed in Kharkov. In pursuit of cheap PR, an accidental and temporary person at the head of the city flunked the preparation of healthcare institutions for the new wave of COVID-19. Now a search for the perpetrators has been urgently organized. This behavior is inherent in a weak and insecure person. A person who is out of place. And it’s also a signal to all of him “tailings carriers” – this awaits you too. Sooner or later, you will be flushed down the toilet, saving his pale image.”.

Dobkin accuses Terekhov of the lack of oxygen cylinders / Photo: Telegram Mikhail Dobkin

Another expression of Mikhail Markovich about, as he writes, “terrified of gray life “candidates”, afraid of losing, journalists and everything in general, including his own shadow !!!”:

“There is an old hackneyed adage: Cowardice breeds poverty. In the case of actions, or rather inaction of city officials responsible for the fight against covid, it turns out that cowardice, in addition to poverty, also gives rise to grief. Lots of sorrow”.

All the compromising material is in circulation

Both candidates also decided to fight not only on social networks, but also in the old fashioned way, publishing their own newspapers. V “Kharkovskih Izvestia” for the most part, laudatory materials about the candidate Terekhov were published. And the newspaper “Dobkin’s time” most often published materials criticizing and compromising on his political opponent. Although Dobkin himself denied his involvement in the publication and claimed that the newspapers with his name were the work of the city administration.

Copy of the newspaper “Dobkin’s time” / Photo: Honestly

The scandals were so loud that they went beyond the boundaries of the front pages into real life. Volunteers who handed out copies on the streets “Dobkin’s time” doused with brilliant green, and the employees of the publication set fire to cars.

What’s left of the newspaper employee’s car “Dobkin’s time” after arson / Photo: kharkov.comments.ua

Some accused Dobkin himself of staging the attacks.

PR on the name of Kernes

Both candidates at one time were close to the late mayor of Kharkov Gennady Adolfovich. Terekhov tyukal Dobkin for imitation of friendship with the politician, and Dobkin appealed to the fact that Terekhov uses Kernes’s positive image in his campaigning. Moreover, he suspects the opponent of fraud with the electronic signature of the deceased. But that one, that the second denies the accusations against him.

“As for the tribute to me, and to the members of the executive committee, and to the entire structure of the city council – there was such a tribute from Gennady Adolfovich, and I talked to him in “Share” two days before the session, we discussed the question of the secretary. And it was no secret to anyone that even before the elections, before his departure to Germany, we fully talked about this. There is an investigation that is being conducted by the competent authorities and I, like no one else, are interested in the objectivity of this investigation. To establish all the facts. And the facts they talk about are fake”, – this is how Igor Alexandrovich answered the journalist’s question in a fresh interview with Radio NV.

Only a positive image

Leader opinion polls among Kharkovites, he works in his social networks not to tarnish the reputation of opponents in the race, but to his good name. But for this competitors laugh at him. Now Terekhov speaks at the opening of the playground, then he rides in the driver’s cab, then he washes the walls of the metro with his own hands.

Terekhov is trying to show voters that he is the best candidate / Photo: Kharkiv City Council

Let us remind you that the elections of the mayor of Kharkiv are to be held on October 31 this year. A total of 10 applicants take part in the race. All ratings for the October election race show that only two people have real chances to become mayor of Kharkov. The clear leader of the pre-election race is Igor Terekhov. Mikhail Dobkin follows him. The rest of the candidates are not gaining even 5% of the vote.

It is noteworthy that representatives of local elites are fighting for the post of manager of Kharkov – Mikhail Dobkin was already the mayor of Kharkov, and Igor Terekhov served as deputy of the late Gennady Kernes. National political parties either supported one of the leaders in the race or nominated a candidate with extremely low ratings. For example, the presidential “Servant of the people” actually abandoned the battle for Kharkov.

The main intrigue remains whether there will be a second round of elections? Some opinion polls show that Igor Terekhov can win in the first round. As it turned out, the results of the turnout of Kharkiv voters can save Mikhail Dobkin from defeat in one round.