Interview with the Oppositionist Mikhail Lobanov remaining in the Russian Federation

Interview with Mikhail Lobanov

Briefly

You were the applicant of the action of the memory of anti -fascists, lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova (killed in January 2009 by participants in the combat organization of Russian nationalists - the “ line ” ). How do you think the state has changed over the entire time of these shares? Including the attitude to ultra -right and their opponents?

In the second half of the 2000s, when the neo -Nazis killed Nastya and Stas, the authorities and individual officials obviously flirted with the ultra -right and fan environment. But at the same time, it seems to me, they were not pressed directly, like self -organization on the left flank, when subcultural anti -fascists were organized to protect themselves and others. The marches of the memory of Stas and Nastya were always allowed. It was the fact that they were agreed that attracted quite large masses of people there. My wife Sasha Zapolskaya and I tried to miss the marches of memory under any conditions.

A year ago, I was one of the applicants of the procession. Every year he participated in discussions. The action was always in question whether this year would be resolved, because the farther, the less any street shares are generally. In general, in principle, in Moscow, with coordination, everything is worse - the nuts were twisted. With this procession it turned out so that they nevertheless agreed. Now officials have privatized the policy of anti -fascism and its rhetoric. In this anti -fascism, as the authorities understand it, there is nothing in common with real anti -fascism. Now the authorities cannot allow mass meetings, meetings, processions, rallies of those people who offer another optics to the terms of fascism and anti -fascism.

What is the anti -fascist in 2023, remaining in Russia? How personally do you have to censor yourself?

I am in Russia, so I do not use some words for security purposes. Due to the pressure that was already on me, I do not use some words, since there are administrative affairs that are connected with posts on social networks.

February 24 was my birthday. When my friend called in the morning, I thought that they wanted to congratulate me, and he said: “Look what was happening. We need to get together-try to do something or at least develop a common position. In general, declare your attitude and show rejection of what is happening. ”

There are pro-war fractions of this or that size even in the left-wing organizations with which I collaborated. But it turned out that I interacted all the previous years with those people from such organizations that were now in anti -war positions. Yes, in previous years they could have sympathized with the so -called self -proclaimed republics of the DPR and LPR, but when the events of the last year began, these people opposed this. Often they made a publicly defended anti -war positions within their groups, including in the Communist Party.

We are experiencing a disaster that our generation did not see. This can be compared with the end of the USSR. Nevertheless, the authorities believe that their actions, this aggression, can be covered with phrases about the fight against Nazism. In this situation, of course, my like -minded people consider it important to expose such rhetoric. We want to show the ultra -right essence of those actions that the Kremlin regime has been carrying out in recent decades.

I’m quit your post now. “Our homeland is not a bunch of smug loafers that seized power. And not a narrow layer of their guards, PR, provocateurs. Our homeland is friends, solidarity and desire, together with like -minded people, fight for a society where no one will be forced to escape from wars, repression or in search of a piece of bread. ” Talking about patriotism has always been difficult in the left environment. Especially now - at the moment when the Motherland is known for its actions in a neighboring country. What is the homeland for you as a democratic socialist now?

On the one hand, I associate myself with the international tradition of the left trade union movement. I am writing about the need for the emergence and emergence of a new international movement against inequality. I say that we need to conduct changes, comparable in depth and even superior to those that trade unions in the 20th century managed.

Nevertheless, I was born in a specific place in the Arkhangelsk region, my childhood passed in specific landscapes, natural and industrial. I remember my travels in my youth along the rivers and roads of the Arkhangelsk region. This is an inextricable part of me - this is my small homeland. My 20 years at the Moscow [State] University, in the Russian -speaking academic environment, are also important.

Since childhood, in the Soviet and Russian school and on television, one way or another, they always said that the homeland needs to be loved. And also claimed that we must support everything that the state does, and now what Putin does. Yes, we love Russia, but it is this love for the Motherland, which is in the blood, makes us strong. The regime has no reason to associate oneself with Russia - with the homeland with a capital letter.

At one time, I read with interest the book of the municipal deputy Alexander Zamyatin about the fact that democracy is the participation of literally everyone in politics. Considering that you, together with Alexander, did the project “nomination” in order to support independent candidates in the elections, what are the most important points for you in the program of democratization of politics?

After all the mistakes, after this catastrophe, which takes place before our eyes, the transformation of the regime is inevitable. Due to this, at some point, the struggle will go, where this transformation will be directed. It is obvious to me that at this moment there will be some right alternative that will bet on revenge. She will say that globally everything was correct that the armed confrontation should continue tomorrow, because there is supposedly there is a conflict of Russia and the West, that previous leaders were not consistent and hard enough.

The situation can worsen much more, and the scale of repression can be an order of magnitude larger. At this moment, we must be prepared, we must organize and offer the left democratic alternative. She will expose this bet on the right revenge, which will lead deeper into the abyss.

Democracy is not reduced to elections, democracy is about participation, about determining its own life at all levels, from the level of the district to the level of the country and the world as a whole. This would be a very important factor in an attempt to overcome the existing civil wars situation and the increase in ultra -right terror within Russia and Ukraine.

How do you see the ideal possibility of ending the conflict?

Obviously, if at some point the Kremlin realizes that it is time to stop, then he will be able to stop the conflict. But I don’t know, I can guess what is happening in the head of a handful of people, on whom the adoption of such a decision depends. In my opinion, they obviously make a mistake, and it leads to a disaster for millions of ordinary people. But, frankly, this will be a catastrophe for this handful and for their children to whom they want to transfer power and property. Power drives all this whole situation into a dead end.

How do you psychologically support yourself, given the complexity of the topic of our conversation?

I retain hope to act. In my case, it is extremely important that my wife Sasha is a like -minded person, we do almost everything together in public campaigns and together engage in activist activities. Just because I had to participate in the elections, I flashed my face more. But so, by and large, we are everywhere together. Due to that, I publicly take an anti-war position, then people are constantly approaching me-thank you. Literally on the streets, in the subway. This also helps.

In general, the left do not close the situations inside only their country. They talk about the need for changes around the world. They understand that still the world as a whole remains the hope that the struggle is not over. And even if your country is several years or, perhaps, even for decades will plunge into darkness, the prospect of global changes remains. And for this it is worth performing and fighting, making your contribution. Because this is precisely what will ultimately allow Russia and other countries to come to a society where there will be no wars and egregious inequality, but there will be a place for everyone.