The political repression driven by the invasion of Ukraine has drastically altered the landscape of Russia’s disparate opposition. While some well-established movements such as Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation have been forced to shut down inside Russia entirely, other initiatives to unite those opposed to the war in Ukraine have sprung up in their place.
The Congress of People’s Deputies
Taking its name from the last Soviet parliament, the Congress of People’s Deputies of Russia aims to create a body of former Russian lawmakers in exile, which, the organizers claim, will be prepared to assume the role of a transitional government in the event of Putin’s removal from power.
Feminist Anti-War Resistance
Founded by feminist activists Daria Serenko and Ella Rosman just hours after the invasion of Ukraine began, Feminist Anti-War Resistance (FAR) swiftly became a leading force behind protests against the war both within Russia and abroad.
“We are the resistance to the war, to patriarchy, to authoritarianism and militarism. We are the future and we will win,” reads FAR’s manifesto, which was published on Feb. 25 last year
The Free Nations League
Established in May, the Free Nations League is a platform uniting pro-sovereignty movements and individual activists representing the indigenous peoples of Russia, including Bashkirs, Buryats, Chechens, Erzya and Tatars.
Highlighting the colonial undertones of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, The Free Nations League positions itself as an “anti-imperialist movement” that seeks independence for Russia’s ethnic republics.
The Free Russia Forum
Established in 2016 by chess-grandmaster-turned-political-activist Garry Kasparov and opposition politician Ivan Tutrin, The Free Russia Forum (FRF) works to unite an array of Russia’s opposition-minded activists and “create intellectual alternatives to Putin’s regime.”
Team Navalny
While Navalny remains the best-known Russian opposition politician outside Russia, he and his Anti-Corruption Foundation have been less successful at dominating the political agenda since Navalny was imprisoned and his political network blacklisted as a “terrorist organization” by the Kremlin in 2021.
Most of Navalny’s closest allies have now left Russia for fear of arrest, but they have worked hard to continue their movement’s work from abroad in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Vesna
Founded in 2013 by former members of Russia’s liberal Yabloko party, Vesna has grown into one of the largest opposition networks in modern Russia and a de-facto leader of the anti-war street protest movement.
Observing the principle of nonviolence, the group became known for its creative protest acts, including those against Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and against the corruption around Russia’s 2018 hosting of the World Cup.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/03/06/a-beginners-guide-to-russias-fragmented-opposition-a80262
The Congress of People’s Deputies
Taking its name from the last Soviet parliament, the Congress of People’s Deputies of Russia aims to create a body of former Russian lawmakers in exile, which, the organizers claim, will be prepared to assume the role of a transitional government in the event of Putin’s removal from power.
Feminist Anti-War Resistance
Founded by feminist activists Daria Serenko and Ella Rosman just hours after the invasion of Ukraine began, Feminist Anti-War Resistance (FAR) swiftly became a leading force behind protests against the war both within Russia and abroad.
“We are the resistance to the war, to patriarchy, to authoritarianism and militarism. We are the future and we will win,” reads FAR’s manifesto, which was published on Feb. 25 last year
The Free Nations League
Established in May, the Free Nations League is a platform uniting pro-sovereignty movements and individual activists representing the indigenous peoples of Russia, including Bashkirs, Buryats, Chechens, Erzya and Tatars.
Highlighting the colonial undertones of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, The Free Nations League positions itself as an “anti-imperialist movement” that seeks independence for Russia’s ethnic republics.
The Free Russia Forum
Established in 2016 by chess-grandmaster-turned-political-activist Garry Kasparov and opposition politician Ivan Tutrin, The Free Russia Forum (FRF) works to unite an array of Russia’s opposition-minded activists and “create intellectual alternatives to Putin’s regime.”
Team Navalny
While Navalny remains the best-known Russian opposition politician outside Russia, he and his Anti-Corruption Foundation have been less successful at dominating the political agenda since Navalny was imprisoned and his political network blacklisted as a “terrorist organization” by the Kremlin in 2021.
Most of Navalny’s closest allies have now left Russia for fear of arrest, but they have worked hard to continue their movement’s work from abroad in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Vesna
Founded in 2013 by former members of Russia’s liberal Yabloko party, Vesna has grown into one of the largest opposition networks in modern Russia and a de-facto leader of the anti-war street protest movement.
Observing the principle of nonviolence, the group became known for its creative protest acts, including those against Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and against the corruption around Russia’s 2018 hosting of the World Cup.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/03/06/a-beginners-guide-to-russias-fragmented-opposition-a80262