Russian nationalist lawmaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky dies at 75

MOSCOW (AP) — A senior Russian lawmaker whose sulphurous rhetoric and antics alarmed the West but appealed to citizens’ aggrievement and wounded pride has died at age 75. The speaker of the lower house of Russia’s parliament said Wednesday Russian nationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky died after “a serious and prolonged illness.” The lawmaker was hospitalized with COVID-19 on Feb. 2. As the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party for three decades, Zhirinovsky was infamous for making vehement statements that were neither liberal nor democratic. He advocated for Russia to forcefully regain control of Alaska from the United States and said he wanted a DNA test to see if he was related to Donald Trump.