Presentation in Stockholm anarchist bookfair 5th of June 2022. Thousands of Russians have been resisting against the invasion to Ukraine. During first month of protests, 15 000 people were detained. Actions still continue, but in a smaller scale. At least 28 people are in prison, suspected of direct actions or just speaking out against the war. Military call-up centers have been torched, and railways sabotaged in at least 10 regions of Russia. 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? Check out this presentation as a video: https://youtu.be/D2kfLT2yJwo Check out this presentation as a podcast: https://soundcloud.com/libertarianlifecoach/solidarity-with-anti-war-movement-in-russia

1. Solidarity with
anti-war
movement in

2. Different oppositions in Russia
 ”Systemic” opposition: Communist
party KPRF, Just Russia party, New
people
 “Non-systemic” opposition:
Independent trade unions,
environmentalists, human rights
organisations, grassroot
movements, anarchists, leftists...
 In-between: Yabloko-party
 Some non-systemic elements inside KPRF, such as
Mihail Lobanov

3. Russian street opposition 2011-2022
 Movement against electoral fraud 2011-2012 and after,
Occupy Abai 2012
 Truckers' movement 2015-2017, Pension age protests
2018, Trash crisis and Shies protests 2017-2020
 No Ukraine on agenda

4. Navalny movement dominating street
opposition in big cities 2014-2021
 Anti-corruption agenda: least
common denominator.
 Promise of normality: no matter
how much repression, watching
and sharing videos and voting
is enough.
 “Crimea is Russia”.
 But also, normalisation of non-permitted protests.

5. What happened to antifa and anarchists?
 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 demand of moderate
movements.

6. Network case 2017/2018-

7. Azat Miftakhov case 2018-

8. 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.

9. 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.

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

11. Vesna (Spring) democratic youth
movement
 Originally from St.
Petersburg, now
nationwide.
 25 000 subscribers in
Telegram.
 New generation of human
rights activits.
 6 activists charged.
 remap-ru.com – map of
protests against war.

12. Support to soldiers, conscripts and
students
 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.

13. 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.

14. Support to workers
 Antijob.net, founded by
anarchists in 2001.
 Anti-war sick leave

15. Support for those leaving or other needs of
security
 resqueforum.com
 Golden Key zolotoykluchik.org

16. Direct actions
 At least 14 arsons and one shooting of 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.

17. Direct actions

18. Initiatives calling for direct actions

19. Repressions
 In picture: Alexandra Skochilenko, imprisoned for
replacing price tags in supermarkets.
 At least 28 people imprisoned for anti-war activities. List
grows on weekly basis.

20. 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

21. 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 June.
Avtonom.org