MOSCOW — A Russian television news reporter has accused a six-time Russian presidential candidate of groping him years ago, and nearly 300 journalists signed a petition Friday against another top Russian lawmaker in a sexual harassment scandal. While pressure is mounting on prominent lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, accused by three women of sexual harassment, a male reporter has come forward with accusations against Slutsky’s boss, 71-year-old ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Zhirinovsky, a veteran of Russian politics, finished a distant third in Russia’s presidential election Sunday, capturing 5.6 per cent of the vote. Davletgildeyev said on Current Time TV that after groping him, Zhirinovsky’s entourage offered to have him join the LDPR leader at a private sauna. The journalist said he had shared the story with friends but decided to speak publicly to express solidarity with the three women who have publicly accused Slutsky of sexual misconduct.

Source: National Post March 23, 2018 13:22 UTC