Posts
More than 70,000 young Russians dressed in red Santa-like suits demonstrated in central Moscow yesterday to show their support for the government of President Vladimir Putin. The mostly teenage members of the pro-Kremlin youth movement Nashi (Ours) gathered en masse to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Moscow, where the armed forces of the USSR defeated the Nazis.
Pro-democracy Russians view Nashi as a menacing hangover from the days of Communist totalitarianism.
[A]ccording to Russia's dwindling band of liberal democrats, scenes like this are less a display of benevolence than a show of force. For them, Nashi, the Kremlin-backed youth group behind yesterday's parade of colourful Santas, is an alarming throw back to the Soviet era.As the youngsters swayed to the "patriotic karaoke" emanating from the stage, a voice boomed out the loudspeakers exhorting them to reinvent Russia's lost glory.
"Let the miracle happen," the voice cried out. "Let heart reach out to heart so our country can rise once more."
Nashi came into being in 2004 after a pro-Russian government in Ukraine was swept from office by the Orange Revolution, causing consternation among Kremlin leaders. Putin then ordered the creation of a large-scale youth movement apparently modeled on the Communist Party’s youth organisation, the Komsomol. Nashi’s red flag recalls Soviet glory days.
The youth organisation is said to have instigated assaults on opposition politicians as well as a campaign of harassment against Britain’s ambassador to Russia Anthony Brenton. The depth of its young members’ commitment to Nashi’s ideological rhetoric remains to be seen, however.
Previous related posts:
