🗓 JANUARY 19: Day of Remembrance of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova

Our organization and our supporters are actively involved in organizing events dedicated to the memory of Russian anti-fascists Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova. On this day, actions and events will take place in different cities of Europe to emphasize the importance of the fight against fascism and right-wing violence.

🇩🇪 Germany

Dusseldorf: event dedicated to solidarity with Russian anti-fascist prisoners and discussion of the continuation of the fight against Putin's capitalism.

🕜January 19, 14:30
📍Linkes Zentrum Düsseldorf, Corneliusstraße 108, 40215

Berlin: conference "The Left under pressure, self-organization of migrants and a vision for the future". As part of the conference, one of our projects "Migrant Collective" will be presented, and you will also be able to communicate with members and supporters of our organization. The panel where the project will be presented starts at 17:00.

🕜January 18 (!), 13:00-21:00
📍Str. der Pariser Kommune 8A, 10243 Berlin

In addition, on January 19, an anti-fascist march will take place in Berlin.

🇫🇷 France, Paris

Screening of the film "Love me, please" with a discussion. Pre-registration is required.

🕜January 19, 16:00-18:30
📍Reforum Space Paris, 16 Rue Oberkampf, 75011

Street action of anti-fascist solidarity on Igor Stravinsky Square

🕜January 19, 19:01
📍Place Igor Stravinsky (75004), in front of the Stravinsky fountain (to the right of the Pompidou Center)

We call on everyone to join and show their solidarity.

To remember is to fight!

For all questions, write to: @postsovietleft_bot

To Remember Is to Fight!

On January 19, in various European countries, demonstrations of antifascist solidarity organized or supported by our organization took place.

In Düsseldorf, our event was dedicated to commemorating Russian antifascists and supporting imprisoned antifascists in Russia. The gathering took place in a warm, supportive atmosphere. German guests also actively expressed solidarity with Russian antifascists, eagerly joined the international commemorative initiative, wrote letters of support, and called for continuing this important work. The event served as another step toward strengthening global solidarity in the struggle for democracy and socialism.

On the same day in Paris, two actions were held. They were organized by Russian and Ukrainian antifascist immigrants with the support of our organization, the “Free Azat” association, and many others. First, the documentary film Lyubite Menya, Pozhaluysta (“Love Me, Please”), directed by Valery Balayan and dedicated to Nastya Baburova, was screened at Paris’s Reforum. A discussion followed the screening. Then, around 30 people gathered on Igor Stravinsky Square for a street action. Participants—Russians, Ukrainians, and French—spoke about the rise of ultra-right violence and xenophobia in the current era and the role of military conflicts initiated by the ruling classes in fueling these sentiments.

Our activist, Andrey Demidov, spoke about how war itself is the environment that nourishes the far right:

“The left has a slogan: ‘No War but the Class War.’ And it’s true. Wars waged in the name of ‘national interests,’ borders, territories are easily appropriated by the far right. We see this in the ongoing war in Ukraine, where ultra-right groups are actively involved on both sides of the border. They receive weapons, combat experience, and awards. They are preparing to seize power.

What should the left do in this situation? At a minimum, refuse to play someone else’s game. At most, wage an uncompromising struggle against every form of fascism, no matter what national colors it might wear.

Our organization, PSL, has taken the initiative to ban the activities of right-wing groups that recruit mercenaries for both sides of the conflict. In the near future, a list of these groups will be submitted to the French parliament and other European legislatures. I believe this will be the best way to honor the memory of Markelov and Baburova.”

In Berlin, PSL activists spoke at the conference “The Left Under Pressure, Migrant Self-Organization, and a Vision for the Future.” The following points were made: the growth of right-wing movements has brought us to a qualitatively new situation. While the left has been splitting hairs about how to build a new International, the right has long since created its own “black (or brown) International.”

Fascists in Russia and Ukraine are closely connected with numerous ultra-right organizations in Europe—a network that works in a well-coordinated and effective manner. The negative experience of attempting to counter fascism solely by parliamentary means was also discussed. In this context, the MigrantCollective initiative as a way of resisting the rightward shift in Europe received positive feedback from conference participants.

After all, migrants—who are the most vulnerable social group of the working class—are hardest hit by those who love the “caliper” (i.e., racists). At the same time, migrant self-organization has enormous potential. As the saying goes, “Saving the drowning is the work of the drowning themselves,” and who knows—perhaps in the near future it will be migrants who can become the key driving force for radical change in Europe.

On January 19 in Belgrade, around 20 people (a full house) gathered at the “Sreda Obitaniya” space to watch V. Balayan’s film about Nastya Baburova. According to activists from the “Left Club of Belgrade,” there was an open, horizontal atmosphere for discussing the film and the participants’ personal stories tied to subcultures in the early 2000s. Actions also took place in Russia on January 19, despite all the difficulties of wartime. According to “Antifa.ru,” events of various formats were held in 13 cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Saratov, and Omsk.

Join us for upcoming actions:
@postsovietleft_bot

Recently, Leonid Volkov, a representative of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), made a statement in an interview with journalist Yuri Dud that, despite its significance, did not spark widespread reaction among Russian opposition circles. He stated that neither he personally nor his organization intend to defend Russians abroad, including those forced into political exile. Moreover, Volkov called such efforts “detached from reality” — although it remains unclear what exactly he meant by this “detachment from reality.” This statement once again casts doubt on the moral principles and real goals of the liberal opposition, which, one might think, should be defending the rights and interests of Russian citizens, especially those who have suffered for their political beliefs.

This situation further highlights the deep crisis of trust within the opposition movement. Instead of supporting those who for years risked their freedom and well-being by helping to fight the repressive system, Volkov and his associates have effectively distanced themselves from their own supporters. People who previously attended rallies, wrote open letters, donated funds, and showed solidarity with opposition leaders now find themselves betrayed.

This is felt especially acutely by political emigrants who have ended up in difficult circumstances abroad. For them, support from the opposition was both natural and essential. They had counted on the leaders for whom they were fighting to show solidarity with their problems. However, reality turned out otherwise: Volkov’s statements are perceived as blatant indifference and a stab in the back.

In contrast to this approach, we, the Post-Soviet Left (PSL), are not only ready but actively directing our efforts to help political refugees in Europe.

Our organization strives to be a real support for those who find themselves in a difficult situation because of their political views, anti-war stance, or fight against injustice.

As part of this work, we are implementing the Migrant Collective project, which provides assistance to labor migrants from the post-Soviet space. We identify their problems, help resolve labor disputes, and protect their rights. This project is carried out in partnership with the initiative Antijob, enabling us to effectively resist exploitation and fight violations of labor rights.

In addition, we actively support deserters—both Russian and Ukrainian—who have refused to participate in military actions. Our goal is to provide them with legal, material, and moral support, as well as to facilitate their integration into European society.

Our organization also actively supports the strike movement in France. In particular, our comrades participated in the strike of Russian and Ukrainian guides from Orange Bikes in Paris, showing solidarity with their struggle and supporting their demands. We intend to continue to promote a class-based agenda and strengthen workers’ solidarity.

We also provide assistance to political prisoners, drawing attention to their plight and organizing events in their support. We consistently call on European institutions and public organizations not to cease helping Russians who find themselves in critical situations.

Our principle is solidarity and support for all who fight for their beliefs and face repression. We are convinced that only through joint efforts can we build a society free from injustice and violence.

At the same time, although we are actively working in this area and ready to help our comrades, supporters, and anyone in trouble, our organization has no funding. We do not receive grants; we do not own luxury villas like Leonid Volkov does in Lithuania; we are not sponsored by oligarchs. We are just as much political refugees as those we help and are fighting purely for our own ideals. Our actions are based on the principles of solidarity, mutual assistance, and responsibility to those who face injustice. We remain true to our beliefs, regardless of all difficulties and obstacles.

Far-right activists are once again using the state's repressive mechanisms to pressure left-wing activists. Their weapon is denunciations to the Prosecutor General's Office.

The latest victim of this tactic is musician and left-wing activist Kirill Medvedev from the group "Arkady Kots". However, the persecution has affected not only him. The Foundation for Support of Left-wing Political Prisoners, which provides assistance to activists who have been subjected to repression, may also come under attack.

The far-right association "Call of the People" (ZOV NARODA) has sent a statement to the prosecutor's office accusing Medvedev of "rehabilitating Nazism" and supporting "left-wing extremists and terrorists".

The formal reason for the denunciation was a charity concert organized in support of left-wing political prisoners. The funds raised were sent to a fund that provides material and humanitarian assistance to arrested left-wing activists. Many of them, such as the defendants in the Tyumen case, the Ufa Marxists case, and the Network case, were arrested on fabricated charges of extremism and terrorism, becoming victims of politically motivated repression.

In addition, the presentation of Medvedev's new book served as the basis. He himself stated:

"The Call of the People movement wrote a letter to the prosecutor's office in connection with the presentation of my book Anti-Fascism for All. Several Z-channels called for the event to be disrupted. Phalanster decided to cancel the presentation for the sake of common safety. It is sad, but the decision is logical. Among the Z-patriots who could have responded to the call and come, there are many unbalanced people."

The tactics of the far-right are unchanged: using denunciations and administrative resources, they try to suppress any manifestations of solidarity and resistance, discrediting public figures, activists, and organizations advocating for justice and human rights.

According to Medvedev, in the book he writes, among other things, that:

"anti-fascism — as the history of the victory of the USSR and the Allies, as the history of the Resistance — is a great legacy that still connects us with Europe."

And he adds that the Russian government is using this legacy for its own purposes, and on the other hand,

"we have long heard from part of the opposition that a revision of history is needed, to the point that the USSR and the Third Reich are equated as two equally evils."

Medvedev believes that this is a path to nowhere:

"The modern official picture of the Great Patriotic War and the accompanying cult of war can and should be criticized, but in the essence of that victory there is a huge, universal humanistic meaning that we need today. Because Russian politics and ideology are part of one far-right turn that has been happening everywhere in recent decades: from Russia and Ukraine to Germany, the USA, Israel or Argentina. Nationalism, militarism, new borders, new practices of exclusion."

In this regard, we call on left-wing activists in Russia to take care of their safety and remember that the enemy is not only in the Kremlin, but also on the streets – in the form of the far-right, who closely cooperate with the authorities.

Below is the link to the stream with two participants from Ukraine (in English), discussing mobilization, attempts to leave the country, the state of the media, and leftist organizations.

Starting around 18:10–18:15.

https://uni-goettingen.zoom-x.de/j/4661265999