Russia

This text is a collective statement of Russian-speaking anarchist collectives (see the list of signatories below). It should have been published even earlier, but now it’s really the time for a consolidated statement about the war in Ukraine. We do not claim to represent the stance of each and every anarchist from Russia, but the need for a clear position, and contradictions associated with the war in Ukraine lead to the necessity to act as a united movement.

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.

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.

On October 22, 2025, the Second District Military Court in Chita will start hearing a new criminal case against anarchist Alexander Snezhkov. This time, he is charged under of “Public calls for terrorist activity, public justification, or propaganda of terrorism.” The article carries a penalty of up to 500,000 rubles (circa 5000 euros) in fines or two to five years in prison.

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.

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:

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.

Upd. Cancellation of the concert in support of Ruslan Sidiki. Fires of freedom launches an urgent fundraiser

This Saturday, September 13, Berlin will host a concert in support of Ruslan Sidiki - a Russian anarchist sentenced to 29 years in prison for anti-war guerrilla activities. In 2023 Ruslan staged a drone attack on a military airfield and undermined railroad tracks used for military purposes - 19 freight cars derailed.

On September 5, anarchist Kirill Bobrov celebrates his birthday. He turns 35. 

Kirill is an anarchist from Ufa who participated in the activities of the Revolutionary Union of Free People “Justice.” In 2011–2012, this group posted videos online showing arson attacks on administrative buildings and called for struggle against the state.

Antifascist Bogdan Yakimenko was arrested on June 5, 2024, in Rostov-on-Don in connection with the Antifa United case, which the authorities declared an extremist organization. Pro-government channels call Yakimenko its organizer.

Anarchist and anti-war activist Dmitry Osyagin from Kazan has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for setting fire to a court building. He was charged under three articles: calling for "extremism", "terrorism" and committing a “terrorist act” .

On August 17 defendant in the case of the Kansk teenagers Nikita Uvarov celebrates his birthday. He is turning exactly 20 years old.

Nikita is a young anarchist from Kansk. Before his arrest, he was a school student, studied the works of Peter Kropotkin, listened to songs by Yegor Letov, learned to play guitar, and dreamed of entering the journalism faculty. Already at the age of 14, Nikita was interested in politics and actively spoke out against political repression.

On August 5, Savely Frolov celebrates his birthday. He turns 24.

Savely is an anti-fascist and anti-war activist from Moscow. He used to be a fencing coach and in the summer he traveled to Altai, where he worked as a pararafting and parakayaking instructor at a charity camp for children with cerebral palsy. Savely took part in the 2021 protests, and after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, he handed out anti-war leaflets near the metro and held solo pickets.

For over a year now, the trial in the Tyumen case has been moving through the Central District Military Court in Yekaterinburg. The defendants—anarchists and anti-fascists—were detained in 2022 and subjected to brutal torture. Since then, there have been 30 court hearings. Each one is a step in a long fight to protect the lives and futures of people who dared to resist.

In June, we managed to raise 48,000 rubles (about 500 euros). Thank you to everyone who contributed—your solidarity keeps this going.

On July 13, Lyubov Lizunova celebrates her birthday. She turns 19 years old.

Lyuba is an anti-fascist and anarchist from Chita. Together with Alexander Snezhkov, she managed the Telegram channels “Shugan-25” and 75ZLO, which were dedicated to protest initiatives in Primorsky Krai and the Transbaikal region.

Source: Solidarity zone

On 18 February 2025, a tribunal at the 2nd Western District Military Court found Yuri Mikheev guilty of "preparing sabotage" (Articles 281.2 and 30.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), and sentenced to him to seven years behind bars, with the first three years to be served in prison.

Together with his lawyer, Yuri has lodged an appeal against the sentence, but so far no date has been given for the hearing.

On May 23, anarchist Ruslan Sidiki was sentenced to a record-breaking 29 years in prison. He received this sentence for two acts of sabotage against military infrastructure: blowing up a railway track and carrying out a drone attack on an airfield. Ruslan explained his actions as an attempt to hinder attacks on Ukraine.

English version  of article by Novaya Gazeta Europe on political prisoner Alexey Rozhkov. 

On 11 March 2022, at around 5am, Alexey Rozhkov left his house in the city of Beryozovsky in the Urals. He took three bottles of beer that he had made into Molotov cocktails, and went to the local military recruitment office.

As of the end of May, Alexander Snezhkov, a defendant in the “Chita anarchists’ case,” had spent more than 90 days in the SHIZO (penal isolation ward, hole), after which he was transferred to a PKT (cell-type facility) with even stricter detention conditions.

PKT (cell-type facility) is a special section within a correctional facility (prison within a penal colony), where inmates are sent as a disciplinary measure for severe violations of prison rules in general, strict, or special regime colonies.

Yesterday, May 23, Judge Oleg Shishov of the 2nd Western District Military Court, during an off-site session at the Ryazan Garrison Military Court, sentenced 37-year-old Ruslan Siddiqui to 29 years in a high-security penal colony, as reported by a Mediazona correspondent from the courtroom.