Nazbols action at Borovitsky gate of the Kremlin. Video of the casual passer-by made a mobile phone. Protest action was against change of the Constitution and increase in term of presidential powers till 6 years. Nazbols 10 minutes scanned slogans: “Is not present to amendments!”, “We will learn you to love the Constitution!”. Agents of special services in the rough form have detained 15 participants of the action.
Posts Tagged ‘Kremlin’
Protest action at Borovitsky gate of the Kremlin
Sunday, December 14th, 2008Revolutionary Rock
Friday, October 24th, 2008Opposition groups release a new collection of protest songs.
Russian rock music, which was in didactic opposition to the Soviet Union before its fall in the early 90s, has lately tended to compromise with the increasingly authoritarian Kremlin rather than challenge it.
Some leading Russian rock figures, for instance, entertained the Kremlin-backed youth movement Nashi at its summer camp on Lake Seliger in 2005 and 2006 as well as performed on Red Square to celebrate the election of Dmitry Medvedev to the presidency on March 2 this year. (more…)
Irreverent English-Language Tabloid Closes Down
Monday, June 23rd, 2008
After 11 years of providing Moscow readers with investigative journalism, irreverent commentary, and sophomoric gags, the English-language newspaper the “The eXile” is closing down after investors fled in the face of a government inspection of the paper’s content.
The alternative tabloid — known for its Gonzo-style journalism on drugs, sex, politics, and the seamier side of Moscow nightlife — announced the closure in a blog posted on its website on June 11.
The paper’s demise, and the investors’ flight, was sparked by a visit on June 6 by inspectors from the Federal Service for Mass Media, Telecommunications, and the Protection of Cultural Heritage.
Mr. Limonov on Mr. Medvedev
Thursday, May 8th, 2008We have now two presidents in Russia: old one is Mister Putin and a new one, appointed on March 2, Mister Medvedev. That idiocy will be formally ended on May 7, when Mr. Medvedev will be inaugurated in Kremlin’s seat. But nevertheless, for more than two months, Russia was headed by two presidents.
As to Putin’s in his first years of presidency to Mr. Medvedev also could be addressed banal questions: “Who is Mister Medvedev?” Because Mr. Medvedev is not a political figure, he is a practically unknown bureaucrat, one of a huge crowd of bureaucrats surrounding Putin. As Putin himself is a small bureaucrat, one from a huge crowd of “chinovniks” surrounding Yeltsin. If the elected president had been named Zyuganov or Yavlinski or Kasparov or even Limonov, nobody in Russia would have asked a question: “Who is that man?” Because these are political leaders, actors in Russian political play. They are known to general population. Mr. Medvedev, on the contrary, is not known, or wasn’t known, at all. Mr. Medvedev is not a leader of political party, he is not a member of political party, so he is not a political man. We can guess that he is a member of Putin’s circle of close friends, a member of some inner circle. If he is to be appointed to the post of guarding of their interests, we are guessing that Mr. Medvedev is trusted by Mr. Putin’s group and Mr. Putin himself.
Putin’s Pariah
Sunday, March 2nd, 2008
Correction Appended
It began inauspiciously. On a frozen afternoon in late November, as Moscow was draped with blocklong plastic billboards, banners and flags, each proclaiming a variation on a single theme — “POBEDA PUTINA — POBEDA ROSSII!” (“A Victory for Putin Is a Victory for Russia”) — a few thousand Russians converged on the city center for a rare act of political theater. It seemed, at first, like a tableau from the last days of the U.S.S.R., those heady months when glasnost swelled the streets with protesters. A handful of dissidents stood on a flatbed truck; a jumble of loudspeakers were stacked below; the crew of foreign reporters vastly outnumbered the local press; and across the way, the secret policemen with their unseen amplifiers were drowning the protest in canned laughter and Soviet waltzes. (more…)
Other Russia: Electoral Vandals
Friday, November 9th, 2007
We will have an elections in our beloved «Rasha,» hope you know about that unforgettable event. This historical event will be produced by a production company «Kremlin & Sons.» Russian crowds will participate in masses. All of them will be obliged to present themselves to some special points in neighborhoods all over our country on the same day: December 2. All of them («sons,» although more than half of them are daughters: middle-aged women and grandmothers) should carry their passports in their handbags and pockets. When arriving at special points of gathering («called electoral stations»), «sons» should take out the passports from their pockets and their handbags and should stretch them out to «servants of the Kremlin.» The servants of the Kremlin will find the names of the «sons» one by one in their electoral book on the table. When name will be found, it should be carefully checked out according to the personal information included in the passport. If by all and overwhelming evidence «son» is person mentioned by passport, he/she will be allowed to receive a «ballot.» When receiving the «ballot» from stretched out hand of «Kremlin’s servant,» «son» should in exchange put his signature into the «electoral book.» Group of policeman will be constantly present at electoral station in case if one of the «sons» will be unhappy with procedure.
Limonov vs. Western Journalists
Tuesday, October 9th, 2007British Newspaper Hacks “Other Russia” Story To Bits
I am thinking now that I am working for “Exile” as reporter, being in same time active participant and even architect of Russian History. Thus, the first Congress of “Other Russia” held in Moscow’s Izmailovo Hotel on September 30 was planned and executed by Garry Kasparov and me. As to the idea of participation in the comping Russian parliamentary elections it was entirely my idea. I expressed that idea two years ago, and steadily, have promoted it inside of the Other Russia coalition. Finally it was accepted by my colleagues in the coalition. On October 1st, Kasparov and me, we visited Central Electoral Commission and have handed over the list of candidates for elections of deputies of a State Duma. What I want to say, that I am reporter who is reporting on activity of Edward Limonov–who is oppositional politician. Unusual situation, isn’t it?
Happy Fucking Birthday Moscow, You Ugly Hag!
Friday, September 7th, 2007So it is Moscow’s birthday, supposedly 860 years old. First of all, Moscow is younger than she pretends to be. Of course, it is vanity that pushes this huge middle-aged “tiotka” (hag) to lie about her age — she wants to be admitted to the respected high-class club of ancient cities. To be in one crowd with such old gentlemen as Signor Rome, Sir London and Monsieur Paris, and such old ladies as Madame Athens.
In reality Moscow was born not in 1147, but much later, in 1382, when Dmitry Donskoi built the Kremlin fortress after his victory over Khan Mamai on Kulikov Field. So, Moscow is faking her years, pretending to be older because she suffers from an inferiority complex.
History Of An Opposition Movement
Friday, June 1st, 2007Other Russia’s Conference on July 11—12 have started processes of confrontation between Putin’s Kremlin forces and new oppositional forces consolidated under “Other Russia’s” banner.
At the moment of “Other Russia’s” creation, old opposition forces (Zuganov’s Communists, Yavlinski’s democrats, the Union of Right Forces) have proved to be impotent. Not dead, but as unactive as dead. For more than decade those opposition parties were present in Russian State Duma, however that presence couldn’t stop an installation in Russia of rightwing Putin dictatorship. Exploiting protest emotions of population, Zuganov, Yavlinksi, and rest were actually pretenders, false oppositioners.
Repressed Party
Wednesday, August 9th, 2006
A few figures for the beginning. Now in Strasbourg European human rights court there are 42 claims of members of the National-Bolshevik Party against Russia, against the repressive and unfair decisions, taken by Russian courts.
Now 26 members of the National-Bolshevik Party are in prisons. Altogether 110 members of the NBP have passed through prisons since 1999. I draw your attention to the fact, that arrests and repressive court decisions started in 1999.