After Vladimir Putin's United Russia party couldn't even win a simple majority in rigged parliamentary elections last December, his opponents took to the streets. Some of those first protesters, thirsty for camaraderie, met just steps from the Kremlin in a bar called Masterskaya—"the workshop"—to plan an uprising the likes of which hadn't been seen since just before the fall of the Soviet Union. Their guns were Twitter and Facebook; their bullets tweets and blog posts. We have dedicated this, our own masterskaya, to tracking the Russian movement against Putin on these and other social media platforms.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
In Moscow’s Shadows (New York)
Is Putin planning on building a new Russian national guard?
According to Nezavisimaya gazeta (April 2, 2012), President-elect Putin is planning to create a new National Guard, a domestic security force uniting the MVD VV Interior Troops, the MChS Ministry of Emergency Situation forces and various other security and military elements.
This Natsionalnaya gvardiya would include not just paramilitary security forces but also light airmobile units with their own transport aircraft, specialized motorized infantry brigades, and special forces. The Guard would also assimilate the 20,000 officers in the new Military Police, making it in many ways similar to the French Gendarmerie Nationale or Italian Carabinieri: a parallel police service, parallel military and internal security force all in one.
Russia: Comrade Putin Indicates He Would Support A Law Limiting Term Limits...Just Not On Himself...
Vladimir Putin, the man who will become Russia’s president for a third term next month, indicated Wednesday he would back a law that bars others from doing what he did, ruling as president more than twice.
But Putin also suggested such a law would not apply to himself, leaving open the possibility that he could run for a fourth presidential term in 2018.
Russian protesters turn to street art
Updated
Russians are voicing their frustrations at the country’s leadership and risking jail by painting political graffiti in the streets of Moscow.More than a month after Vladamir Putin won a presidential vote beset by allegations of widespread fraud, Russia’s opposition is sputtering - but the voices of protest can still be found all over Moscow on the walls of buildings everywhere, as street art in the Russian capital goes political.
Taking their inspiration from the most famous street artist of them all, Britain’s Banksy, many in Russia are risking jail to get their message out.
(Source: therevolution-ofconsciousness)
Что дальше
Роковой для России март подходит к концу, выветривая из голов остатки декабрьского хмеля. На Чистых прудах и Болотной мы был дан ответ на вопрос: «Кто виноват?». Теперь наш аналитик Critical Observer попробует разобраться с: «Что делать?».
Red Scare: Fashions of the Former Soviet Bloc: Protest Fashion Is Still the Rage
Fashion on the Barricades writes about the new tee-shirt line featuring our Vova surrounded by a tasteful frame of roses (very Spring 2012!) The hippest protesters will be sporting tees and tanks with this emblem (our girl Kseniya has already been papped in a cropped version) or another style…
Задержания за белую ленточку
Москва, 25 марта 2012 года. Полиция не позволила людям с символикой движения “За честные выборы” погулять по Красной площади.
(Source: youtube.com)
Акция в Казани закончилась задержаниями
Потасовкой и задержаниями закончилась акция против полицейского произвола в Казани.На несогласованный с властями митинг пришли 150 человек.Акция на площади Свободы была посвящена памяти Сергея Назарова, скончавшегося после избиения и изнасилования в отделе полиции “Дальний”.После митинга, который продолжался два с половиной часа, организаторы предложили пройти к зданию МВД республики Татарстан с траурным венком и с бутылкой шампанского.Полицейские преградили путь демонстрантам. Задержаны несколько человек.
(Source: youtube.com)
