Leonid Volkov: "Fire at headquarters"

“The information that I have is very fragmentary, but even it is enough to see: in the last few days there has been the largest wave of detentions and arrests of our regional coordinators in the entire 10 months of the campaign in support of the admission of Alexei Navalny to the presidential elections,” - writes the head of the oppositionist's election headquarters in his blog .

“Let’s add two more circumstances to this fact:

1) the fact that Navalny and I each have 20 days, and immediately after my release I have a new court in Nizhny Novgorod, and Navalny, on the contrary, can draw up the same protocol as me for 7.10 - so 20 days can easily turn into 40, if not 50.

2) the fact that, in contrast to March 26 and June 12, there were no mass arrests of ordinary participants in the protests in support of Navalny’s demands, and those detained in Moscow and St. Petersburg were, for the most part, released without any protocols at all.

What does this mean? The fact that our political opponents decided to arrange another stress test for the political structure we created: decapitate and see how it will work in such conditions.

This is an interesting test indeed, and an important one. We know very well that their structure is purely vertical and without leadership falls into paralysis. Nobody can decide anything, everyone is waiting for orders from their superiors, otherwise nothing will work for them.

First, let’s see which of the coordinators managed to build work in their region. For those without him, everything falls apart, no one knows what to do - it’s bad. Those who continue verification and campaigning, and solve all current problems, are good.

Secondly, if we come out of this test with honor: well, here is the answer to the question of who can really build flexible and sustainable organizational systems, who is really able to govern the country. (Can you imagine what a mess and chaos will begin if Putin and half of the governors sit down for 20 days? I really hope this won’t happen here!)

And thirdly, and most importantly. Why do they do this?

Previously, there was a clear tactic - to grab more random people in order to reduce the number of future rallies. So that everyone would be afraid to go out into the street: precisely because anyone can be seized, fined, or arrested. But the arrests of only coordinators, on the contrary, ordinary activists and volunteers can only reassure: “if I’m not on the cutting edge, I’m not risking anything.” Then why, what is the logic? I see only one answer - it’s better to study, to probe our organizational structure: to understand who is tied to what, where are the thin and narrow places where it can tear and break.

This makes sense for the Kremlin in one single case. If they have come to terms or are preparing to come to terms with the fact that Alexey Navalny will be a registered candidate for the presidency of the Russian Federation and they will have to fight with us no longer in the uncertain conditions of the campaign for candidate registration, but within the strict framework of the official election campaign.

Well. We need to come out of this next test with honor on our path to victory. Fortitude and strength to all detained coordinators. Productive work to all headquarters."