The Russian army has invaded Ukraine. Putin has lost his senses and his army is bombing cities, shooting civilians, and killing children. More than one million people have fled the country in order to escape from Putin’s “liberators.”
As the full scale military operation began this morning, it is important to show that the Russian people don’t need this shameful war. There were dozens of antiwar protests all over the country in the past days mostly in the form of single-person pickets, which according to Russian laws don’t need any notifications. But the majority of protestors were detained nevertheless.
Solidarity with comrades in France: The December 8th case
What happened?
Hello, it is Saturday, and we are continuing our podcast "Trends of order and chaos". This is episode 43. Of course, you know perfectly well what is the main topic of the last week.
Yesterday, on February 21, an extraordinary meeting of the Russian Security Council was held. As part of this theatrical act, Putin forced his closest servants to publicly “ask” him to recognize the independence of the so-called “people’s republics” of the Luhansk People’s Republic [LPR] and Donetsk People’s Republic [DPR] in eastern Ukraine.
The results of the first 30 years of “democracy” in Ukraine are, to put it mildly, unconvincing. The economy and the media are in the hands of rival oligarchs, corruption is at staggering levels, economic development lags behind many African countries, and in addition, the country has become the center of the neo-Nazi movement around the world. And these problems are basically home-grown, not the result of the Kremlin’s intrigues.
When reading texts like this it is necessary to, first and foremost, take into account the fact that their real impact is insignificant, even compared to the most powerless statements of the OSCE Minsk group and other international organisations. And therefore, the target of such texts is not the exact measurable impact, but rather the proclamation of the principles for the present and the future as a clarification of the position of the individuals and groups that were powerless in the past and can no longer back down from the struggle.
Azerbaijani anarchist Giyas Ibrahimov was detained by security services for alleged anti-war statements yesterday.
In the now-deleted live video he posted on his social media account, Ibrahimov broadcasted security forces entering his flat in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku and refusing to tell him why he was being detained.
Vladimir Putin will visit Finland on friday 1th of July 2016. Conflict in Ukraine is still going on, in year 2016 only more than 600 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and wounded in ceasefire violations. Both parts of the conflicts have been reluctant to fulfill their responsibilities under Minsk II treaty. Vladimir Putin admitted presence of Russian troops last December, and he is one of the persons directly involved in the continuation of the bloodshed, and bears personal responsibility for human rights violations in occupied Ukrainian territory.
Situation in our country starts to resemble the era of Cold war. US army organizes a military parade across east Europe, mainstream media hails propaganda of USA, high-ranking politician would gladly accept permanent presence of soldiers of United States. The similar slogans, that were used to celebrate USSR, now celebrate USA. The similar catchwords, that were used to defame US imperialism, defame now Russia. This is all because we are forced to accept alleged need of strengthening our army to defend against Russian threat.
Despite the bleakness of the situation in Ukraine, at least I was amused by the fact that Nazis were fighting on both sides of the front, killing each other.
But then I found out that some "anti-fascists" have been doing the same 1) 2) 3).
I am sure that in terms of the entire former Soviet Union only a minority of the Antifas is willing to die for Poroshenko or Putin. However, the scale of this problem is significant, and any attempts to react to it 4) also have their shortcomings 5).
This text was written as an answer to our foreign friends' questions about situation in the Eastern Ukraine and Russian anarchists' attitude towards that. We hope it will be of use to everybody interested in these matters.
The situation is complex and controversial and you should understand that the text below does not (and can't) reflect the opinion of all Russian anti-fascists and anti-capitalists. We discussed this within our group, but even here we have a couple of contradicting points of view.
YYA (Ystävyys, Yhteistoiminta ja Avunanto -network) organized 8.9.2014 a demonstration opposing the war in Ukraine. The demonstration opposed Russia's invasion in Ukraine, the war in Ukraine and demanded end to the war crimes.
Stop the war and human rights violations!
Meeting on September 8 at the Kolme Seppää -statue at 6.00 PM from where we will walk to Russian embassy at Tehtaankatu.
During July and August, more and more proof has emerged about the Russian involvement in the war in Ukraine, and on the 24th of August Russian troops crossed the Ukrainian border and and began the offensive towards Mariupol. More than 2000 people have already died in the war, and the Russian assault worsens things.
Revolutional greeting to all solidary comrades of the world!
We are the workers of Ukraine and active members of the most massive and radical protests of the last decades continuing development of avtonomous class movement.
The antigovernmental uprising that begun last autumn outgrown into destructible massacre for the working class. Naturally, upper classes of Russia and Ukraine easilly imposed values of patriotism and interethnic hatred to the working masses.
In the ongoing conflict, we support neither Ukrainian government nor pro-Russian factions that established their authority on the portion of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. The working class (i.e. everyone who has neither power nor capital) is equally alien both to the concept of unitary Ukraine and to the ideas of ”federalization” or creation of new states — these are merely the games of politicians, drawing blood from ordinary people.
On Friday, the 2nd of May, the House of Trade Unions in Odessa caught on fire. Altogether at least 42 people lost their lives during the clashes in the city, most of them in the fire and the others in streetfights. There is an excellent Russian language, eyewitness account of the events available here.
Anarchists, organizers of demonstration "Against the war in Ukraine" in Petrozavodsk, Russia were kidnapped and seriously injured by unknown people in masks.
On 9th of March, along with the traditional Food Not Bombs action, demonstration "Against the war in Ukraine" supposed to happen in Petrozavodsk, for a peaceful solution of tense situation there and prevention of bloodshed continuation.
Anarchist total objector Topi Lauko began his prison sentence 18th of
December in a low-security prison. He was transferred to a half-way house, maintained by Siltavalmennus NGO, in second half of February. Although in half-way house the conditions of detention are not harsh, he would still be happy to correspond with comrades around the world. He will be finally released 24th of April 2013.
Topi Louko
Vehnämyllynkatu 4
33560 Tampere Finland
In the developments in Libya are clearly seen three trends.
June 11th is the International Day of Solidarity with Marius Mason & All Long-Term Anarchist Prisoners. This action day has a long history, it was organized first time 20 years ago in 2004. In the first year, we managed to paint a graffiti to wall of one of the most guarded objects of Moscow,...
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...