Support The Moscow Times!

Ultranationalists Attempt to Unite

Ultranationalists created a new umbrella group this week, though their chances of obtaining official registration appeared slim.

The group, called simply Russkiye (Russians), aims to "establish a national government and proclaim a Russian national state," co-founder Dmitry Dyomushkin told Interfax.

Dyomushkin, former head of the banned Slavic Union, a group notorious for its Russian acronym "SS," will head one of the new group's six managing bodies.

The group's leaders also include Alexander Potkin, also known as Alexander Belov, a former leader of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration, the sole prominent organization to represent nationalists until it was banned for extremism earlier this year.

At least two prominent nationalist groups, Narodny Sobor and Russian Public Movement, led by Potkin's former ally Vladimir Tor, did not join Russkiye, Lenta.ru reported Thursday, adding that Narodny Sobor was not invited over its alleged ties to the government. No explanation was given for Tor's refusal to join.

Members have not commented on the group's short-term plans, including whether it will seek registration as a political party with the Justice Ministry ahead of the State Duma vote in December.

No new party has been registered since 2009. Recent registration requests by several liberal and left-wing groups were thrown out by the ministry on technicalities.

Rights champion Svetlana Gannushkina said Russkiye is unlikely to be registered because its platform falls under anti-extremism laws, Interfax reported.

Ultranationalism is on the rise but mostly because of the activities of disorganized groups more interested in illegal activism than public politics, anti-xenophobia watchdog Sova said in March.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more