Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a close Putin ally, mocked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after Mamdani pledged to bring “the warmth of collectivism” to the city. Dmitriev called Mamdani “comrade” on X and posted a Simpsons GIF featuring Lenin with the caption “Must crush capitalism!” The exchange prompted criticism from conservative commentators and drew wider attention because Dmitriev was recently appointed by Putin to participate in Ukraine‑related talks.
Putin Ally Mocks NYC Mayor Mamdani’s ‘Warmth Of Collectivism’ With Simpsons GIF
Kirill Dmitriev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, publicly mocked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after Mamdani pledged to bring “the warmth of collectivism” to the city during his swearing-in ceremony.
Reaction From Dmitriev
Dmitriev — the Harvard‑educated chief of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) — replied on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter), addressing Mamdani as “comrade” and warning in a post that collectivism has “already been tried.” He followed that message with a widely shared Simpsons GIF depicting Vladimir Lenin shuffling like a zombie with the caption: “Must crush capitalism!”
“We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,” Mamdani said to cheers during his swearing-in ceremony.
Domestic Backlash And Context
The exchange drew sharp criticism from conservative commentators and MAGA voices in the United States, who described Mamdani’s language as “chilling” and “horrific.” Mamdani was sworn in by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I‑VT) and praised the senator as “the man whose leadership I seek most to emulate.”
Observers also noted Dmitriev’s recent role in diplomacy: he was appointed by Putin to meet with special envoy Steve Witkoff in November for talks related to the war in Ukraine, underscoring the international attention paid to an otherwise municipal speech.
Originally published on Mediaite.
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