Below we share an English translation of a statement on the Prigozhin coup attempt by our comrades at #Невойна. Although events on the ground seem to have concluded rapidly, #NoToWar’s message continues to be relevant and urgent. You can find the Russian original at: https://shorturl.at/dzK45
TIME TO LEAVE THE SHADOWS
Friends and comrades!
The ruling regime, which unleashed the war in Ukraine, has logically brought matters to a civil war within the Russian Federation. We see how Putin’s state, rotten from cynicism, lies, and theft, is being challenged by the charismatic leader of a private army trying to channel the well-founded discontent of soldiers and civilians into a new military dictatorship. Into a dictatorship that is going to throw millions of residents of the Russian Federation into the furnace of a doomed and criminal war.
Enough!
Russians who want to live peacefully and develop their country have no interest in this confrontation. But we will not be able to sit it out: none but ourselves will bring peace, justice and democracy. Yes, it is still difficult to imagine a massive and militant “third force” capable of sweeping away all the perpetrators and beneficiaries of the war at once. It won’t show up overnight. But we should be working towards it.
All these years we have resisted the radicalizing dictatorship despite everything. We went to massive rallies against the Kremlin bosses who had taken over the whole country; we disrupted murderous business projects in our cities and forests, we spoiled the lives of officials who were stupefied by their impunity. We’ve accomplished a lot. And yet there was a lot we couldn’t accomplish — because many of our friends, neighbors and fellow citizens “did not believe in politics.” Now we have to believe — for the sake of survival.
There is only one way for ordinary people to enter politics — self-organization. Creating their own structures capable of resisting those imposed from above — with the help of money, fraud and violence. Our courtyards, squares, barracks, factories, offices, universities — all this should be managed by people who are ready to organize, and not by someone appointed from above or pushed through “electronic voting”.
What is to be done today?
Strengthen all existing ties — with neighbors, colleagues, fellow countrymen — and create new ones. We need initiatives to jointly solve the inevitable household problems in the near future — with electricity, food, Internet, communications. We need all kinds of structures of mutual assistance and collective protection, including from the police and paramilitary groups. We need soviets, strike committees, environmental and other movements capable of deploying and radicalizing the struggle while the security forces and generals are devouring each other. In sum, we need a broad and democratic structure throughout the country, capable of nominating its representatives and claiming power.
The dictatorship wants to atomize us even more in order to drive us further to war, linking our interests with its own, binding us all with blood, intimidating us with defeat and the “end of Russia.” But if we throw off all this ruling caste of security forces and oligarchs raving about new mass murders, their clientele of propagandists, regional bureaucrats and corrupt deputies, it will not be a defeat for Russia. It will be our victory.
Stopping the war, bringing troops home, dismantling the toxic militaristic regime and its oligarchic base are the main demands of angry and responsible Russians today. It’s time to unite!
#Невойна is an anti-war leftist Russian media outlet. You can find their Telegram channel at: https://t.me/nevoina2