Moscow-2015: The "Russian" and Other Nationalist Marches

On November 4, 2015, the Day of National Unity, Moscow nationalists held various demonstrations, among them three separate "Russian Marches."

The "Russian March" in Lyublino

A march organized by the ethnopolitical movement "Russians," despite having been banned in advance, began at noon. This year, against a backdrop of prosecution of Russian nationalist leaders, the demonstration was even more of a disaster than in previous years. About 700 individuals participated (or 960, according to the police).

Before the march got going, organizers were ordered to take down banners with Celtic crosses, which were marked as banned symbols. In addition to the Celtic crosses, kolovrats (Slavic swastikas), and "Imperial" flags, Sova staff noted Pamyat flags as well as flags of the radical nationalist WotanJugend.

The march proceeded along its normal route, on Pererva Street in the south-east of Moscow. A group of Orthodox banner-bearers headed the march. Additionally, Sova noted participation by a small number of members of Russian Joint National Alliance(RONA) under the leadership of Oleg Filatchev, a group of pan-Slavists, the "Russian Human Rights League" (or RPP, led by Vladimir Istrakhov), the "Uncompromising Column" led by Ilya Sotnikov, the "Right Column" (a union of activists from Pamyat and the Committee on Nation and Freedom under the leadership of Denis Russky), a "Black Block" of anarcho-nazis (under the leadership of Alexander Samokhin), members of "Russians" (led by YuryGorsky) and other organizations. Among the "Uncompromising Column" were members of the Slavic Force North-West faction, having arrived to the march from Saint Petersburg.

Aleksey Mikhailov (ex-Russian Image) was also observed at the march, along with ex-DPNI Vladimir Yermolaev. "Democratic Choice" activists Andrey Urenyov, Yaroslav Kolobkov, and Vera Pronina were also observed. The same for Deputy Chief of "Democratic Choice," senior Gaidar Institute researcher Sergey Zhavoronkov.

"Down with dictatorship!" was the official motto of the 2015 Russian March. Participants also chanted "Freedom for Alexander Belov!", "Freedom for Aleksey Kolegov!", "Freedom for Dmitry Dyomushkin!", and "We are the Russian march!". The traditional slogans - "Cancel 282!", "Glory to Russia!", "A Russian flag over the Kremlin!", “One for all and all for one” - were interspersed with more political calls: "Russia without Putin!", "Ahead, Russian block!", "Putin is the President of Chechnya!", "Putin is the President of Tajikistan!", "There's Putin, no brains needed,""No mosques - no terrorist acts!", "Glory to the white race!", "ISIS - burn in hell!", "More nationalists, fewer terrorists!", "Replace Serdyukov with Belov, and Putin with Dyomushkin!", "No order in Russia, as long as a Chekist sits in the Kremlin!" (which rhymes in Russian), and so on. Marchers also chanted "No war!", "Glory to Ukraine!", and "Russians and Ukrainians - brothers forever!"

Participants at the head of the column lit flares near the Bratislavskaya Metro station.

One march participant was detained. By the end of the meeting we were aware of seven members of the Black Block having been detained, including their leader, Alexander Samokhin, who was the ex-leader of the "Russians" Ryazan chapter called the “For Honor and Freedom” movement), as well as Vladimir Ratnikov. They were subjected to administrative sanctions under Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code (violation by a participant of a public meeting of the established order of the meeting). Others were charged with use of foul language in a public place, which apparently means sanctioning under Article 20.1 of the Administrative Code (petty hooliganism). Prior to the beginning of the march, one of the organizers, Anton Smirnov, was detained. He was held at the Maryino police station, after which police released him without filing a report.

At the end of the march, Yury Gorsky held a demonstration. Among the speakers were Vladimir Istarkhov and Ulyanovsk activist Ilya Sotnikov, who announced that "Russia will either be Russian, or uninhabited."The Black Block detained leader Alexander Samokhin was replaced by his comrade who was introduced as Konstantin. Well-known Russian nationalist and pagan Dmitry (Div) Melash was also at the demonstration, urging, among other things, those in possession of hunting licenses to start buying weapons.

Gorsky began to read out a resolution as "Russian Orthodox poet" Nikolay Bogolyubov rose to the stage. The "poet" spoke of criminal investigations against him under Articles 280 and 282 of the Criminal Code, before reciting his poem "Russian Sky." After this, Denis Russky (head of the "Nation and Freedom" committee) came to the stage. At this point Gorsky read the resolution all the way through, bringing the rally to an end.

"Russian March - For Russian Revanche" by the Oktyabrskoe Pole Metro

Participation reached about 360 people at a demonstration organized by the "Russian National Front" - "Great Russia" Party, the Russian Imperial Movement (RID), the "People's Militia of Russia" (formerly the "People's Militia in the Name of Minin and Pozharsky," which was banned), the Imperial Cossack Union, the Initiative Group for a Referendum "for Responsible Power" (IGPR"ZOV," formerly the banned Army of People's Will), and others.

The march began from the Oktyabrskoe Pole Metro stop, and ended at the Sсhukinskaya Metro stop, where a demonstration was held. At the middle of the route the column stopped for speeches to be given.

In addition to the organizations named above, participant groups included the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, the Movement for Nationalization and Deprivatization, the Union of the Russian People (Mikhail Nazarov's SRN), as well as members of the "Other Russia" movement, who did not display a banner but handed out party pamphlets and chanted their own slogans. Additionally, members of the "Sober Russia" movement and leaders of the Dry Law Party were seen in attendance.

Prior to the beginning of the march, during the organization of columns, the "Great Russia" leader Andrey Savelyev began shouting, "Russian revanche, make mincemeat of russophobes!" (which kind of rhymes in Russian), "No to migration! Yes to deportation!". During the march, Savelev chanted, "We must tear off the arms and legs of every prosecutor pursuing Russian political prisoners," specifying though, that they should be "torn off" by trial.

Participants in the march chanted "Russian order in the Russian land,""Russian rule for Russia!", "Down with thieves of the Russian people!", "Kiev is a Russian city!", "Moscow is a Russian city!", "As long as we are united, we are invincible!", "The destiny of the Russian is fear and deceit,""Russia without Jews!", "Russian means sober!", "Freedom for Kvachkov!", "Kvachkov to the Kremlin, Chubais to the bench!", "Russian wealth in Russian hands!", "Rus and Serbia are one!", "Russia, Ukraine, Belarus - for a united Rus!" and so on.

Representatives of "Other Russia" chanted "Our MIGs will land in Riga,""Our tanks will be in Prague,""We won't forget Odessa, we won't forgive Odessa!", "Down with the ceasefire, we will take Kiev!", "Nation, will, socialism!", "Russia is everything, the rest is nothing!", "Eat the bourgeoisie instead of bread!", "Suitcase - train station - Israel!", "Glory to the nation, death to enemies!", "Our motherland is Russia, Chinese out of Siberia!", "Migrants today - occupiers tomorrow!" and so on.

Representatives of the SRN chanted "Russian rule is tsarist rule!"

At the end of the meeting, by the Schukinskaya Metro station, IGPR "ZOV" leader Kirill Barabash led a demonstration. The majority of speakers harshly criticized the Lyublino Russian March, accusing its participants of abandoning Russian nationalism.

Orthodox Banner-Bearers deputy chief Valery Levchenko spoke to gatherers about the apocalypse and the coming battle with the antichrist; Vladimir Filin (of the "Movement for Nationalization and Deprivatization"), among other things, protested Russia's military actions in Syria, asserting that Russia's primary military concern should be to protect Russians in Russia and the Donbass.

Additionally, participants in the demonstration were treated to appearances by Orthodox activist-writer Dmitry Yudkin, veteran nationalist Alexander Ivanov-Sukharevsky - who told of an incipient catastrophe for Russians; YuryYekishev (of the "People's Militia of Russia"); ex-LDPR Deputy Nikolay Kuryanovich; Nadezhda, the wife of Vladimir Kvachkov; Elena Rokhlina; Sergey ("the Spider") Troitsky; as well as the Moscow coordinator of the RID Pavel Vasilyev and the head of the Institute of Higher Communitarianism Kirill Myamlin, who asserted that Russians must come out against political parties and against the "usury of the Jews," while suggesting soviets and national interest-free credit for Russians. To overthrow the government which does not respond to the interests of the people, he noted, is not a right but a duty.

Following the reading of a resolution, the march continued to its end.

Kirill Barabash was detained after the march. According to accounts on radical right-wing blogs, the reason for his arrest was the slogan "put the seven underground kings to sleep!" (a reference to Russia's seven oligarchs). Barabash was released after givingwritten explanations to the police.

"Russian March for a Russian World," organized by the "Russian World" movement of Mikhail Ochkin, began around 1:00pm and lasted until about 3:00pm. About 100 participants in the march walked parallel to Olimpiysky Prospekt from the Garden Ring to the square in front of Durov Theater, where a demonstration-concert was held.

Russian National Unity (RNE) symbols dominated the demonstration: flags and armbands, which apparently were distributed to anyone who wanted them, along with flags of the "Cause"("Delo") party and of "Novorossiya."Along with the individual flags on display was one from the neo-Nazi Party of the Revival of National-Social Justice in Russia (PVNSSR). Cossacks of Moscow Cossack Unionalso took part in the event. Sergey Tsiganov, of the "My Yard" movement, was seen in attendance.

Participants chanted "Glory to the heroes - glory to Russia!", "For Bright Rus!", "Glory to Rus - death to enemies!" and so on.

Valentina Bobrova (of "Green Ribbon") ran a meeting at the end of demonstration, with the nationalist patriotic movement "Russian World," an offshoot of the Novorossiya movement, participating. Bobrova reminded attendees of the "sacred trinity of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus," and explained the need for a separate, third Russian March, regarding the next "litmus test" for Russia after "Novorossiya:" Syria.

LDPR Deputy Maxim Shingarkin promised to give children the "Russian world, which is bigger than these three countries,"orany other, and reminded listeners that Christ was "crucified facing Russia."

Yury Gvozdev, leading supporters of prisoners of conscience, told the audience that his group would act on the basisof"Russian World," and called to collect money for the "associates," neo-Nazi skinhead Vasily Krivets and National-Socialist Union (NSO) "North" member Vladislav Tamamshev. "Glory to Rus!", he declared in conclusion, while throwing the fascist salute.

Among the speakers, Sova staff noted the head of "Russian World" and "Russian Moscow," Gennady Shibanov; the leader of the widows of killed volunteers in Novorossiya and the Donbass; and Aleksey Zakharov of the RNE. Konstantin Klimov of the PVNSSR finishedthe demonstration with the motto"Glory to Rus! Death to enemies!" (Klimov was the first speaker to note the proximity of the demonstration to a mosque and immediately called on attendees to join "Russian World").

There was also a concert: Anastasia Sorokova sang a coupleof songs, while an unknown RNE guitarist sang many more ideological songs.

Valentina Bobrova read the meeting's resolution. Among other things, it resolved cooperation with pro-Russian forces in Europe, called on a ban on government-funded abortions, proposed someanti-migrant measures, called for the nationalization of big business, for amnesty for those convicted under Article 282 of the Criminal Code, and for the criminalization of "russophobia."

As an unknown man by the name of Konstantin shouted various slogans after the resolution, Sergey Andreev of the "Alliance of the Russian World"spoke on"what it is that makesus a Russian world." It was Andreev's position that this would be a counter to the deteriorating morals of the West, including tolerance and godlessness.

The meeting concluded without incident.

By far the largest event on the Day of Russian Unity was the march and demonstration "We are United," held under the organization of the All-Russian People's Front (ONF). The demonstration came at the end of the march.

The event was coordinated to account for 50,000 attendees. Police counted 85,000, while the leaders of the ONF counted 40,000.

By our count, the event included about 30,000 participants, split into 30 columns of 700 to 1,000 people in each. The two largest columns were made up of representatives of the National Liberation Movement (NOD), along with members of the "Tradition, Empire, Government, Motherland" (TIGR) movement, which is a youth faction of the Rodina (Motherland) Party. Representatives of NOD were also present in other columns.

Contrary to claims made before, there was no separate TIGR column with its own symbols on display. Movement leader Vitaly Laktyushin marched in the Rodina column, which included as many as 120 people. Roughly half were young people including those not affiliated with TIGR. One person was noted in the Rodina column carrying a poster with the phrase "Shame on Sergey Parkhomenko - Menial of the NATO Fleet!". Other young people in the Rodina column carried a banner in the imperial tricolor with the phrase "Our Name is Rus!"

One of the more notable parts of the march was the "Anti-Maidan" movement. Participants in the "Anti-Maidan" column included Night Wolves headed by Alexander (Khirurg (Surgeon)) Zaldostanov, carrying a poster with a picture of a bear and the phrase "Banderovets! I'lltearyou apart for my grandfather." Additionally, about a thousand members of the Militant Brotherhood were observed in the column.

About 150 members of the Great Fatherland Party (PVO) under the leadership of Nikolay Starikov. PVO was the sole organization to carry Russian flags with black ribbons in memory of the Russian airliner downed over Egypt. Other participants in the "Anti-Maidan" column included members of the Officers of Russia and the Union of Veterans of Afghanistan. Generally, the "Anti-Maidan" faction included about 5,000 people.

Despite the fact that NOD distances itself politically from "Anti-Maidan," the regional NOD column basically followed the "Anti-Maidan" faction. This was quite a large group including people with black and brown flags and posters reading, "Putin is our national leader,""Misha, figure it out. I'm Russian. Russians are coming" (featuring a bear crushing a snake), "General Prosecutor! We demand an investigation of the 1991 coup!", "Our column against the fifth column," and "Clean up the fifth column!"

The regional NOD faction brought together 1,000 people. Participants chanted "Our country - our rules!"

The march was closed out by representatives of the regions, trade unions, and individual companies and organizations including the Golden Age movement of supporters of Nikolay Levashov, whose bookshad been banned on extremist grounds in Russia.

We also noted "Georgievtsy,"People's Brigade" supporters, members of "Sober Russia" and the "People's Civil Society Council," the "Novorossiya" movement, and so on.

The demonstration ended in a meeting with speakers including Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who declared, "God save the tsar!"

See photo reports by Sova Center:

The "Russian March" in Lyublino

"Russian March - For Russian Revanche" by the Oktyabrskoe Pole Metro

"Russian March for a Russian World" from the Garden Ring to Durov Theater

"We are United" march and demonstration