News

New Fundraiser for the Defense of Anarchist Ruslan Sidiki

Anarchist Ruslan Sidiki, who was sentenced to 29 years in prison, continues to await his appeal in the Ryazhsk pre-trial detention center (SIZO) in the Ryazan region.

But this is not just waiting — it is a constant struggle. Ruslan is being denied access to books, newspapers subscribed in his name do not reach him, and for the second time in a row the same investigator has refused to open a criminal case regarding the torture Ruslan endured during his arrest.

Antifascist Bogdan Yakimenko Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison

Other Defendants in the Antifa United Case Receive 2.5 and 3.5 Years.

Judge Ekaterina Stepina of the Izmailovsky District Court of Moscow delivered a verdict to three antifascists in the case of Antifa United, which law enforcement agencies—and now the court as well—consider an “extremist community.”

A new fundraiser to pay for a new lawyer for antifascist Anton Kalakin

Anton is currently being held at Detention Center No. 1 (SIZO-1) in Irkutsk. He needs qualified legal assistance in order to challenge the verdict of the Second District Military Court, which in October sentenced him to six years in prison over two comments posted on Telegram.

Anton left the first comment in the Telegram channel “Irkutsk Blog” in July 2024. Under a post about Governor Igor Kobzev, who considers spending on the war to be a higher priority than repairing schools, Anton wrote:

 Good news in the new year: the fundraising campaign for Ruslan Sidiki’s defense has been completed

In less than two months, you have donated 235,000 rubles (2600 euros) for Ruslan Sidiki’s legal defense. We have already paid the lawyer’s fees for November and December, and the remaining amount will cover expenses through the end of February.

Russia designates Telegram channel run by teenage anarchists as a terrorist organization

The lawsuit was filed by the acting prosecutor of Zabaykalsky Krai, Stanislav Nemtsov. The defendants were Chita-based anarchists Aleksandr Snezhkov and Lyubov Lizunova. According to their support group, they were declared the “leaders” of the association. Anarchists took part in the court hearing on January 20 via video link.

The Parents’ Day. Dmitry Petrov talks about his book and about his son

November 3 2025 Dmitry Petrov Senior – writer, journalist, and anarchist activist – presented his book The Parents’ Day in Helsinki.
It tells the story of his son, Dmitry Petrov (Leshy) Junior, a Russian anarchist and volunteer who went to fight for Ukraine and went missing while defending Bakhmut.

Listen in SoundCloud

Festival program is now released! The Father Frost Against Putin 2026 Festival will take place on January 10 in Helsinki

 Festival program is now released!

Father Frost Against Putin 2026 is a festival where Russian speakers living in Finland and beyond, Finns, and people of other nationalities come together to talk about freedom, solidarity, and a future without war.

YouTube as a Tool of Resistance — a lecture by Nika Vodvud at the festival Father Frost against Putin in Helsinki

12 PM - 13:35 PM (Helsinki time)
January 10, Oranssi, Kaasutehtaankatu 1
Free entry

YouTube can still — and should — be used for activism. Nika Vodwood (nixelpixel) will talk about approaches and tools that help you use algorithms to your advantage, find your audience, and create YouTube videos on social and political topics. At the end, she will answer any questions during the Q&A.

The mother of antifascist Anton Kalakin, sentenced to six years for two comments, visited him in Irkutsk Prison-1

 

According to the support group, Irina Viktorovna's date with Anton took place on December 3. According to her, his condition is "more or less ok" and much better than during the last meeting. In November, when she first visited Anton after his sentence, he did not smiled once.

Fundraiser for Those Who Escaped by Anarchist Black Cross Moscow

Support those who managed to avoid prison but ended up in forced exile.

This year, ABC-Moscow helped several anarchists facing criminal prosecution in Russia to safely leave the country. After evacuation, people find themselves in a new reality: without housing, without health insurance, and without a stable income. And even if the journey out of Russia is already behind them, difficult months still lie ahead — waiting for visas and legal status, searching for lawful employment, and dealing with everyday and medical needs.

Fundraiser: 2200 euros for three months of legal work for Ruslan Sidiki

Anarchist Ruslan Sidiki remains in detention — and we continue to support him. Right now we need to raise 200,000 rubles to pay for his lawyer’s work for the next three months. When someone is held in a pre-trial detention center (SIZO), this is the most expensive period to provide support. At the same time, it’s also when there are more opportunities — for the defense, regular lawyer visits, and filing appeals.

Irkutsk anti-fascist Anton Kalakin was sentenced by the military court to six years in prison for two comments

Anton Kalakin is known as Anton 69 in the Irkutsk punk community. He works odd jobs: most recently, he worked as a security guard and repaired boats. He participated in solidarity events, attended punk concerts, helped homeless animals, was interested in local history, and ran a public page about the history of Irkutsk. He lived with his mother.

Presentation on Anti-War Resistance in Russia and Anarchists at the Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, November 1

On Saturday, the Bristol Anarchist Bookfair will take place at The Elmgrove Centre (Elmgrove Road, Bristol, BS6 6AH) from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event will feature 20 free workshops and presentations, including Anti-War Resistance in Russia and Anarchists by Antti Rautiainen in the Frome Room.

Support the Legendary Anarchist Ilya Romanov

Former political prisoner and anarchist Ilya Romanov is in need of our help. After 20 years of imprisonment in Ukraine and Russia, a stroke, and numerous surgeries, he remains severely disabled — yet he refuses to give up. Ilya continues to paint, stay in touch with friends, and keeps his sharp mind and sense of humor.

Dmitry Osyagin Turned Out Not to Be an Anarchist — He Considers Himself an Anti-War Democrat

Action by Osyagin

The Anarchist Black Cross of Moscow has received information that Dmitry Osyagin does not identify himself as an anarchist or an anti-fascist — he considers himself an anti-war democrat. The reason why the security services attributed to him participation in the “Combat Organization of Anarcho-Communists” (BOAK) is currently unknown. It may be due to the authorities’ desperation to announce the arrest of at least one member of this elusive underground organization.

Statement of the Anarchist Black Cross Moscow on Ruslan Sidiki

Anarchist Ruslan Sidiki, who was sentenced to 29 years in prison over two sabotage actions against the Russian war machine, openly stated that he contacted Ukrainian military intelligence in order to organize an attack on the Russian air base in Dyagilevo, where strategic bombers are stationed. In published letters he explained his motive:

Fundraiser to support anarchist Kirill Bobrov!

Anarcho-syndicalist from Ufa Kirill Bobrov has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for participating in the arson of the United Russia party office and for creating an "extremist community" in 2012. The criminal case over the arson was opened 13 years ago. Kirill left the country at that time, but in 2023 he returned to Russia for personal reasons and was arrested right at the airport.

Talks in London and Brighton on Anarchist Prisoners in Russia

On Saturday, September 20, the Anarchist Bookfair will take place in London — one of the main annual events of the anarchist movement in England. As part of the program, Antti Rautiainen will give a talk titled “Anarchism and Anti-War Resistance in Russia.”

Time: 11:00–12:45

Columns

Антти Раутиайнен

In September 2024, I gave a presentation in Dresden about struggles against the right-wing government in Finland. Freedom published a text based on that presentation last September, but due to character limitations I had to skip an introduction to the Finnish party system. This background is...

2 weeks ago
Антти Раутиайнен

Repression targets Chita anarchists already jailed for war resistance and anti-regime graffiti The regional prosecutor’s office for the Trans-Baikal region in eastern Siberia has submitted a petition to a local court to recognize the “Trans-Baikal Left Association” as a terrorist...

1 month ago
Антти Раутиайнен

Thousands of Russians have been fighting against the invasion to Ukraine. During first month of protests against the war, 15 000 people were detained. Small street actions are still sporadically taking place, although they are heavily persecuted. More than 300 people have been imprisoned for anti-...

2 months ago
ДИАна - Движени...

Translation: volunteers of Autonomous Action. «» The history of solidarity networks in Russia began in 2013, when activists from Autonomous Action and Antijob, most likely members of the Barnaul cell, found information on the internet about the Seattle Solidarity Networks. After studying...

3 months ago