After Russian invasion of 24th of February, Ukrainian anarchists have mobilised to resist the invasion, and most of the anarchists in Russia have either fleed from the country or joined the anti-war movement, which has yet failed to make a significant impact to stop the war. Meanwhile, there is also lots of confusion about the situation in the left and anarchist movement worldwide, as number of "alternative" news outlets is spreading Russian narrative, that Ukraine is a state controlled by Nazis, and that there is a genocide of Russians and other minorities in Ukraine. How to counter pro-Russian propaganda? How credible is the "neutral" stance that both sides are equally evil?What are the current anti-war initiatives in Russia to follow? How to support Russian anti-war movement, which is operating in more and more repressive circumstances? Second half of this lecture repeats lecture in Stockholm Bookfair in June with minor updates, but first half is different: https://soundcloud.com/libertarianlifecoach/solidarity-with-anti-war-movement-in-russia Sorry for sound quality issues, my mic had a malfunction the same day and could not find a replacement on short notice. Check lecture this video as a video: https://youtu.be/H5GiH9VFYq8 Check this lecture as a podcast: https://soundcloud.com/libertarianlifecoach/anarchist-discussion-on-the-war-in-ukraine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anttiraut Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARautiainen Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmHta3gaQwjTZBfULOxGykg Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/27xCvfw0Yg8M4oj2DvLDGx Blog: https://avtonom.org/en/people/antti-rautiainen TikTok: tiktok.com/@anttiraut Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/arautiainen Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/libertarian-life-coach/id1626178673 Google podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/LibertarianLifeCoachGoogle Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/antti.i.rautiainen Ask: https://ask.fm/AnttiR Bio: https://anttirautiainen.livejournal.com/profile SoundCloud suomeksi: https://soundcloud.com/arautiainen SoundCloud на русском: https://soundcloud.com/anttiraut

1. Anarchists in

2. Disclaimer!
 I am not going to talk in behalf of
Ukrainian anarchists!
 Anti-war movements have
seldom halted wars. They have
never halted wars when victory
has been reachable.
 All Russian anarchists wish
Russian defeat.
 Conflict began in 2014. Intense
phase 2014-2015, 2015-2022

3. Claimed reasons of the war 1: Ukraine is
Nazi country
Two propositions:
 Ukraine has strong
Fascist and Nazi
movements.
 Fascists and Nazis have
no influence in Ukrainian
politics.
Do not contradict each other!
 In 2019 parliamentary elections in Ukraine, far-right bloc 2.15% of votes
(+ 4.1% for populists).
 Russia has no less fascists.

4. Claimed reasons of the war 2: Genocide
against Russian people in Donbass
 According to UN, 2014-2016
3148 civilian deaths from both
sides.
 According to OSCE, 149
civilian deaths 2017-2020 from
both sides.
 According to separatists, 8 civilian deaths in their side 2021.
 What is a genocide? Is any number of civilian casualties a
genocide?

5. What about NATO?
 No colony ever voted to join imperium.
 Why Ukraine? Why not Estonia (Nato member) or
Finland (aspiring to join Nato)? Because it is about
Russian ultra-nationalism.
 «One language, one country» - not a war for profit.
 Russia is capitalist, but ruling class are the security
officials.

6. What about opposing both sides?
Imperialism is when a state pursues to conquest or to
subdue other territories, and reach the status of leading
superpower.
 Ukraine is not about to conquer anything → Ukraine is
not imperialist.
 Ukrainian ultra-nationalism may be a problem in the
future, but that seems to be unlikely.
 Deserting only an option if you will always have a place
to run to.
 No future for anarchism in Ukraine, if anarchists flee.

7. What happened to antifa and anarchists in
Russia?
 Antifa less relevant after
police repressions against
Nazis and disagreements
over Donbass war.
 Anarchists facing
difficulties in adaptation to
new circumstances.
 Growth of repression has increased popularity of
moderate movements.

8. Network case 2017/2018-

9. Azat Miftakhov case 2018-

10. Protests during first weeks of war
 More than 15000 arrests in circa 70 cities until 9th
of May
 More than million signatures with online petitions. Many
sector-specific petitions, even orthodox christian priests.

11. Who supports war, who is against?
 In polls of first weeks, majority
pro-war (58-71%).
 Under 30 who do not watch
television: 80% anti-war.
 Polls increasingly unreliable, in
street polls more than 60% may
refuse to answer.

12. Anti-war initiatives: Feminist anti-war
resistance
 34 000 subscribers in Telegram.
 Calls to decentralised protests,
spread to 78 cities.
 De-facto leading network calling
for “street” (outdoor) actions.
 8th
initiative group of St.
Petersburg targeted with “phone
terrorism” case.

13. Support to soldiers, conscripts, students,
workers
 Movement for conscious
objection, Call of
Consciousness.
 Soldiers mothers.
 Before mobilisation and
declaration of war, even
contract soldiers have a legal
right to refuse going to war.
 Students against war.
 Antijob.net, founded by
anarchists in 2001.
 Anti-war sick leave

14. Anti-colonialist social media
 Several social media accounts: Free Nogay El,
Free Buryatia Foundation, Asians of Russia etc.
 Overrepresentation of minority nations in Russian
casualties.

15. Direct actions
 At least 18 arsons and one shooting against military call-up centers.
 Molotov cocktail attacks against riot police.
 Railway attacks, but less than in Belarus.
 Also supported by accelerationists, but arrested not Nazis.

16. Direct actions

17. Direct actions

18. Initiatives calling for direct actions

19. Repressions
 In picture: Alexandra Skochilenko, imprisoned for replacing
price tags in supermarkets.
 At least 30 people imprisoned for anti-war activities. List
grows on weekly basis.

20. Campaign for energy boycott against Russia
 Switchoffputin.org (among others)
 Energy boycott quickly agreed, but slow in execution.
 No maritime insurance boycott → Russia ships oil

21. Anarchist Black Cross of Moscow
 Established 2003
 Traditionally supports anarchists, anti-
authoritarians and their supporters
targeted with repressions.
 Now also supports anti-militarist prisoners.
 Donate with cryptocurrencies or Paypal.
 Avtonom.org/abc

22. Autonomous Action
 Established as a Libertarian communist
confederation in 2002.
 Now a media project, resurgence of an
organisation unrealistic in current
situation.
 Activists committed to stay in Russia
as long as it is possible, while
journalism has been forced to
emigrate.
 Will launch a fundraising drive in
Firefund in July.
Avtonom.org