Russian Nationalism and Xenophobia in March 2022

We did not record any information as to victims of ideologically motivated violence this month. Since the beginning of the year, we are aware of two such instances in Russia.

However, in March 2022 we became aware of damage to wayside crosses in Fryanovo, a workers' village northwest of Moscow, of swastikas painted onto a memorial to war heroes in Nikulino, also outside Moscow, and of a smoke bomb tossed into a mosque in Moscow. Since the beginning of the year, we have recorded four acts of xenophobic vandalism.

Additionally, on March 24 in Moscow, former editor-in-chief of the Echo of Moscow radio station, Alexei Venediktov, was targeted when vandals dropped a pig's head in a wig at his door and put a sticker of the Ukrainian coat of arms on the door, along with the German-language inscription "Judensau" ("Jewish swine").

In March, ultra-right activists hardly engaged in any public activity. However, they actively weighed in on political events. As usual, with respect to the special operation in Ukraine launched by Russia on February 24, opinions within the ultra-right community were split.

Among the Russian right, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), Rodina, Male State, Russian National Unity (RNE), Russian-Slavic Association and Revival (RUSOV), Russian All-People's Union (ROS), Right Russia, Tsargrad, "People's Cathedral", and a number of individual figures – Igor Strelkov, Vladimir Kvachkov, Alexander Dugin, Nikolai Bondarik and Yegor Kholmogorov – all expressed their full approval for the special operation.

The Russian Imperial Movement (RID) came out in support of the special operation, though with some reservations – stating that as RID considers Russians and Ukrainians to be one nation, it is unnecessary to fight "for Russians" but instead "for the restoration of the Empire."

On March 24, RID announced that ten members of its Imperial Legion had joined the special operation. A few individuals from Eduard Limonov's "Other Russia" have also made their way to the Donbas. RNE meanwhile announced its readiness to send volunteers, but it is not clear whether it actually did send anyone.

The "Conservatives" movement tends to against the special operation, taking the position that it should have been started in 2014, but the moment had passed. Many of the abovementioned Russian right also expressed regret that a large-scale offensive was not launched in 2014, but this did not lead them to withhold their support for the current offensive.

Roman Yuneman of "Society – Future" called the special operation a strategic mistake, calling for the return of diplomatic methods of resolving the conflict. At the same time, the group stated that Ukraine "methodically murdered the Russians of the Donbas for eight years" and that on that basis, the organization would support the Russian Army and "society." As a practical matter, Society – Future is engaged in humanitarian efforts: collecting aid for refugees, organizing psychological assistance and arranging blood donations. Natalya Kholmogorova (of the Aid to the Donbas Project) is also involved in sending humanitarian aid, and has stated that she does not support the special operation.

Unequivocally against the special operation were "Great Russia," the Russian All-National Union (RONS), the Association of Popular Resistance (ANS), the Nationalist Movement, the Right Bloc and Pamyat Front.

We did not record any convictions (*) issued in March on the basis of violent crimes motivated by hatred. In 2022 as a whole, we are aware of only one individual convicted for xenophobic violence, in St. Petersburg, and two for xenophobic vandalism, in the Tula Region.

In March, employees of the Federal Security Service (FSB) continued to report nationwide detentions of members of the neo-Nazi and "people-hating" organization MKU ("Maniacs: Cult of Murder"). In Moscow a criminal case was opened against an alleged supporter of MKU for the creation of an ultra-right community. Aside from that, in Moscow, one Dmitry Sotnikov was arrested in Moscow on allegations that the created an MKU-supporting Telegram channel. An alleged supporter of the organization was also detained in the Ryazan Region. As part of the investigation into MKU's activities in the Krasnodar Krai, a criminal case in connection with an alleged planned murder was opened against a 16-year-old person from the village of Kaluga. By March 30, the FSB's press office had reported the detention of 60 MKU supporters in 23 regions of Russia.

In a related note, on two occasions over the course of the month of March, SOVA Center received letters by email containing threats, video clips and addresses, where acts of terror were alleged to have been committed by MKU.

Two rulings, against three individuals in the Khabarovsk and Astrakhan Regions, were issued this month over participation in extremist communities. Since the beginning of this year, for participation in the activities of extremist communities and organizations, Russian courts have issued five rulings against six individuals in the Astrakhan, Bryansk, Omsk and Khabarovsk regions, as well as the Republic of Adygea.

We recorded information in respect of 13 individuals convicted in March for xenophobic statements. Five of them were charged only under Article 280 of the Criminal Code for public calls to attacks on law enforcement employees. Three individuals we charged under Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code (public justification of terrorism on the Internet) over approval of terror acts in Christchurch, New Zealand, and alternatively ISIS activities. Two individuals were charged under a combination of both articles for the publication of video clips calling for violence against members of the FSB and police, and for attacks "by nationality." Another two individuals were charged under a combination of Article 280 of the Criminal Code, Article 312 (embezzlement) and Article 163 (extortion). Only one person was charged under Article 282 of the Criminal Code (incitement to hatred) for a statement "directed against natives of the Caucasus, Central Asia and Transcaucasia" made twice in the course of a year. (Earlier he had been sanctioned under the analogous section of the Code of Administrative Offenses). Since the beginning of the year, by our count, xenophobic statements have been the basis of no fewer than 38 convictions of as many people in 26 regions of Russia.

The Federal List of Extremist Materials was updated twice, on March 2 and 29, to account for new entries 5260–5268. The additions supplementing the List this month include racist songs by the bands Smerch and SturmRise, an antireligious cartoon, an antisemitic text, a speech by Adolf Hitler, and a video clip featuring calls to violence against members of the Russian government.

The Federal List of Extremist Organizations was also updated this month, for the entry of Male State, which had been deemed extremist by a decision of the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court on October 18, 2021.

No fewer than 12 individuals were fined under Article 20.3.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (incitement to hatred), in accordance with the contents of Part 1 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code, for social media posts featuring materials directed at incitement to hatred of natives of Central Asia and the Caucasus, non-white people, ethnic Russians, homosexuals and police officers.

At a minimum, five individuals were fined under Article 20.29 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (manufacture and distribution of banned materials) for sharing materials included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials to social media.

And no fewer than 19 individuals were sanctioned under Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (propaganda and public demonstration of Nazi symbols and symbols of banned organizations). Four of them had thrown fascist salutes, one drew a swastika on asphalt, and two showed their own tattoos. The others posted Nazi symbols to social media. Five individuals were sentenced to administrative detention; the others were fined.

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(*) Data about criminal and administrative cases are reported without reference to rulings that we consider to be patently improper.