Russian anarchist and anti-war movement in the third year of full-scale war

Anarchist group ANA Regensburg hosted my online-presentation on 16th of May 2024, in which I discussed tactics of anti-war activism in Russia, and reasons why the anti-war movement has not been able to make an impact to change the course of events yet. Cases of anarchists repressed for anti-war activities are presented, as well as strategies of support for political prisoners, and modest successes in supporting their struggles.

Thumbnail picture is by MediaZona, you may read their report on anti-war arson attacks in Russia here: https://en.zona.media/article/2022/10/13/burn-map

Links:

Autonomous Action
http://Avtonom.org

Anarchist Black Cross Moscow
http://Avtonom.org/abc

Solidarity Zone
https://t.me/solidarity_zone

Memorial
https://memopzk.org/, https://t.me/pzk_memorial

OVD-Info
https://en.ovdinfo.org/antiwar-ovd-info-guide

RosUznik
https://rosuznik.org/

Uznik Online
http://uznikonline.tilda.ws/

Russian Reader
https://therussianreader.com/

ABC Irkutsk
https://abc38.noblogs.org/

Send mail to prisoners from abroad:
http://Prisonmail.online


YouTube: https://youtu.be/c5nSOdU48O8
Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/libertarianlifecoach/episodes/Russian-anarchist-and-anti-war-movement-in-the-third-year-of-full-scale-war-e2k8ai4

1. Russian anarchist and anti-war
movement in third year of the
full-scale war

2. Tactics of anti-war activism
Spreading anti-war messages in the streets.
Anti-war pickets still take place in some cities.
Direct actions against military recruitment centers and
rail transport.
Human rights work, such as support for political
prisoners, conscious objecting, aid for escaping from
Russia.
Movement of wives and mothers of the conscripted: not
necessarily «anti-war».
Not possible: Anti-war demonstrations, any public anti-
war events, creating networks except clandestinely.

3. Spreading anti-war messages

4. Spreading anti-war messages (2)

5. Autonomous Action
Established as a Libertarian communist
federation in 2002.
Currently exists as a mediaproject, in
current situation it is not realistic to re-
establish organisation.
Activists remaining in Russia are
attempting to stay there as long as
possible.
Avtonom.org

6. Pickets still take place in some cities
Picket in Kazan for
local political
prisoners 11
th
of May
2024

7. Movement of wives and mothers of the
conscripted

8. Anti-war initiatives: Feminist anti-war
resistance
34 000 subscribers in
Telegram.
Calls to decentralised
protests, spread to 78 cities.
Now very careful with street
actions
8
th
initiative group of St.
Petersburg targeted with
“phone terrorism” case.

9. Direct actions
Sabotage (claimed by
authorities) against
freight train in
Volgograd region
14
th
of May 2024.

10. Direct actions (2)
Mediazona listed 113 arson
attacks 26
th
of July 2023,
attacks have continued
since them.
Riot police, and cars with Z-
markings also targeted.
Railway attacks, but less
impact than in Belarus.

11. Initiatives calling for direct actions
Anarchist fighter/Anarcho-
Communist fighting organisation
(BOAK):
boak.noblogs.org + onion site
No members of organised
underground groups, such as
(BOAK) currently imprisoned in
Russia. Imprisoned direct action
activists are lone actors.
In Belarus, Black Nightingdales-
group was arrested this year (in
picture Maria Misyuk).

12. Initiatives calling for direct actions (2)
Free Russia -legion and Russian voluntary corpus.
Also supported by accelerationists, but not many Nazi
cases.
Rospartizan –roots in more mainstream opposition
and people such as Ilya Ponomarev
Some attacks organised by Ukrainian secret services
with bribes or blackmailing.

13. Why the anti-war movement is currently
weak?
Russian economy is strong due to war-time
investment, lack of workforce means increasing
wages.
Russia is advancing at the front, victory is possible.
Conscription is still a problem for a small minority
only.
Many people who would have opposed the war just
left Russia.
Unprecedented level of repression.

14. Repressions against anti-war position
According to OVD-Info more than 500 anti-war criminal charges, in February
2023 Solidarity Zone found 112 people charged for direct actions.
In picture Alexandra
Skochilenko, in prison
for replacing price tags
in a shop with anti-war
messages.

15. Why are anarchists being repressed in
Russia?
Authorities want to repress any discussion on Mikhail
Zhlobitsky and other insurrectionary activities (Vilchevski
case)
Reaction to anarchist activities (Miftakhov, Chita, Rozhkov,
Shvedov, Frolov, Siddiqui cases)
Wave of direct actions 2008-2014
not forgotten by authorities
(Network case).
Repressive machine needs
targets (Tyumen, Kansk
teenagers and Network cases).

16. Prisoner support as part of anarchist
strategy
In political cases, lawyers do not necessarily
make difference. However, before trial, lawyer is
often the only means to communicate with
prisoner.
Movement should be built with a solidarity with
itself.
Supporting anti-war prisoners sends a message
of acceptance of anti-war actions.
Prisoner support is currently less risky than
many other activities.

17. Tyumen case
Six comrades arrested in
the end of August 2022 in
Yekaterinburg of Ural,
and Tyumen and Surgut
of Siberia.
All are held in Tyumen or
surroundings.
Accused of terrorism, but arrested are only vaguely
connected via subculture.
Court about to start, lots of fundraising is needed!

18. Victories with prisoner struggles
Network case prisoner Viktor Filinkov has also succesfully
challenged prison conditions with lawyers.
17
th
of July 2023 anti-war prisoner
Ivan Kudryashov, supported by
Solidarity Zone, won his
hungerstrike after 40 days,
gaining a promise of access to
vegan food and vitamines sent
to him in parcels.

19. Tyumen arrested
Kirill Brik
Deniz Aidyn

20. Yekaterinburg arrested
Yuri Neznamov
Danil Chertykov

21. Surgut arrested
Nikita Oleynik (and
Roman Paklin)

22. Azat Miftakhov case 2018-

23. Alexey Rozhkov
Accused of burning a military
enlistment office 11
th
of
March 2023. Arrested,
released from detention and
fleed to Kyrgysztan, from
where he was illegally
railroaded back to Russia.

24. Ruslan Siddiqui
Accused of railway
sabotage and drone
attack against military
airport in Ryazan
region.

25. Chita case
In October 2022 19 years old
Aleksandr Snezhkov and a 16 year
old Lyubov Lizunova were arrested
for writing a graffiti ”Death to the
regime”. They were also suspected
of administrating a telegram
channel with anarchist and anti-
war messages.
Sentenced to 6 and 3.5 years of
prison 25
th
of April 2024.

26. Support for political prisoners -Anarchist
Black Cross of Moscow
Established 2003
Previously focus on supporting
repressed anarchists, anti-
authoritarians and their supporters.
Now also supporting anti-militarist
prisoners.
Activities now only abroad due to increasing pressure.
Donations via cryptocurrencies and Paypal.
Avtonom.org/abc

27. Support for political prisoners -Solidarity
Zone
Established by anti-authoritarians to
support anti-war prisoners in 2022.
Is currently supporting 20 anti-war
direct action prisoners who are not
supported by traditional human rights
organisations.
Following cases of more than 20
other prisoners.
https://t.me/solidarity_zone

28. Other initiatives and organisations
supporting anti-war prisoners
Memorial https://memopzk.org/,
https://t.me/pzk_memorial
OVD-Info https://en.ovdinfo.org/antiwar-ovd-info-guide
RosUznik https://rosuznik.org/
Uznik Online http://uznikonline.tilda.ws/
Russian Reader https://therussianreader.com/
ABC Irkutsk https://abc38.noblogs.org/
Send mail to prisoners from abroad:
http://Prisonmail.online