The American Spectator : Russia Rushes Backwards

Text Size

Russia Rushes Backwards

By George H. Wittman on 1.14.11 @ 6:07AM

Vladimir Putin's growing reliance on ultranationalist skinhead youth.

History will show December 2010 exploded with gang warfare in the streets of Moscow and with similar outbreaks in St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don and even the southern city of Krasnodar. All observers agreed that the battles involving thousands of young men, ages 15-30, were ethnic-based. And that is only part of the story.

The police estimated six thousand youths in total clashed within a stone's throw of the Kremlin on Manezh Square. From the beginning the motives of the various groups involved were confused. Football club partisans mixed with ethnic Slavs battled North Caucasus immigrants and other groups smashing each other with all manner of weapons from scrap pipe and lumber to costly imported aluminum American baseball bats. Thirty rioters were hospitalized, though there is general agreement that hundreds were injured. One man was confirmed killed by stabbing. Ultimately the police reportedly arrested more than 1,300 people.

Ordinary Muscovites were appalled, though not at all surprised, at the bloody street warfare. The police apparently had no set plan on how to handle the situation, although there have been numerous claims that the authorities clearly favored the far right nationalist groups. Perhaps the key to police reaction and alignment is the fact that many of its members had fought in Chechnya and instinctively are against the Caucasian minority living in Moscow and environs. At least that's one of the theories currently espoused by Moscow's journalist community.

Moscow always has produced provocative theories on why things exist as they do. In the instance of riots that supposedly began in reaction to the shooting death of an FC Spartak football fan, Yegor Sviridov, the dominant theme has been the racial division of Russian football (soccer) supporters. Initially the violence pitted nationalist right-wing Slavs against mostly Chechen fans of FC Spartak's rivals. Soon the conflict was expanded to right-wing nationalists, including neo-Nazi skinheads, with Caucasian and Central Asia immigrants on the other side.

The political rumor mill went into action and the results were extraordinary. The tale that seemed to attract most foreign observers was one in which PM Vladimir Putin had encouraged the entire outbreak of violence in order to prove to the public how much he was needed to enforce law and order. This story since has been linked to the suggestion that hooligans have been recruited and paid by the government security components to provide the ability to counter "unauthorized " demonstrations such as those recently of environmentalists. (See my December 17 column, "Corruption and Leadership in Russia.")

President Dmitry Medvedev uncharacteristically entered the fray early on by blaming the race-based riots on investigators who'd released suspects in the shooting of Yegor Sviridov. "Why did [the investigators] do this? Were they afraid? Was it for money?" Medvedev was quoted by the Russian News and Information Agency (RIA Novosti). "All those who killed the fan should be identified and imprisoned," he added. A very strong statement -- except the people Medvedev called upon to arrest the individuals who let the suspected perpetrators go were in fact the same people -- the Moscow police!

To this confusion has been added the recognition of, as the Financial Times put it, "… a Kremlin-backed political movement designed to control the streets and prevent a confrontation with democratic political forces in the wake of the 'Rose' and 'Orange' revolutions of Georgia and Ukraine." Apparently the current Russian regime is fearful that it might be overthrown by street democracy and expects to use their organized bullyboys to sweep away such demonstrations. This perhaps is considered less brutal than using the militia. Logical? Only if viewed from behind the Kremlin walls.

The youths that make up one of these organizations, "Nashi," are drawn from football hooligans and skinheads who respond favorably to right-wing rhetoric and violence for so-called sport. Another organization of an even more racist orientation is "Russian Image." It held an openly neo-Nazi "Russian March" with official permission in late 2009. These are supposed to be defenders of Russian nationalism. They could not exist without government sanction in some form.

There appears to be a direct correlation between Putin's tough guy image and the respect for his leadership given by racist Russian youth gangs. From an operational standpoint it is impressive that these organizations have the ability on relatively short notice to pull together thousands of supporters and bring them into the streets of central Moscow and other major cities. That these gangs hold Vladimir Putin as their idol says a great deal about the way the current prime minister and former president has used Slavic ultra-nationalism in the consolidation of his personal power. To overlook Putin's totalitarian inclination, is to disregard reality. At this stage it is hard to tell if one is dealing with Moscow of 2011 or Munich of 1933.

About the Author

George H. Wittman writes a weekly column on international affairs for The American Spectator online. He was the founding chairman of the National Institute for Public Policy.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (33) | Leave a comment

Broken LT| 1.14.11 @ 8:19AM

"At this stage it is hard to tell if one is dealing with Moscow of 2011 or Munich of 1933."

The only difference is that the new Soviet isn't blaming everything on the Jew (yet).

How sad that a nation who fought so hard against the Nazis and endured so much under the old Soviets is now lifting up a new dictator modeled after the Nazis.

And against this we're supposed to believe that a "reset" (complete with mis-spelled button based on an American commercial) will obviate the need for missile defense.

Alan Brooks| 1.14.11 @ 12:37PM

Indicates how social progress is a construct.
No demonstrable progress in Russia since at least around the time of Soyuz.

PJ| 1.14.11 @ 9:08AM

I pray this is not a repeat of Munich 1933. An autocrat will do almost anything to keep his power, like riling up hotheaded, undisciplined youths.

I do hope we are witnessing the beginning of the collapse of Putin's power. He has caused so much damage to Russia. (I will never understand why Bush II & Condi Rice trusted that man!) Putin ruined & hopefully not destroyed the dreams of a people wanting to live in a free society.

I remember when the Soviet Union collapsed. The newspapers showed Russian faces of optimism for the future. I hope 1 day soon the media will once again show those cheerful, Russian faces. The Russian people have so much good to offer the world!

Stormy| 1.14.11 @ 9:22AM

Bottom up, top down, inside out.

Merlin| 1.14.11 @ 11:02AM

Serious question. What is meant by right-wing and neo-Nazi in this situation. Surely the "right-wingers" are not constitutional, limited governement, freedom loving, law and order types. Neo-National Socialist?

Seek| 1.14.11 @ 11:29AM

There are several types of Rightist. The ultra-nationalist variety is one of them -- and it has nothing to do with "the Left."

Walt from Michigan| 1.14.11 @ 11:48AM

Let's not compare two dogs from the same socialist bitch.

ncatty| 1.14.11 @ 1:28PM

Mr. Wittman, I thought that one subject on which all Russians agree is the defense of the Motherland against the Germans/Nazis in WWII. Surely the group "Russian Image" does not identify itself as "Neo-Nazi" does it?

Sean| 1.14.11 @ 3:35PM

You are very wrong on that. A lot of Russians joined the Germans. Stalin to them was much worse than Germans. The Russians that fought against the Soviets were sent back in cattle cars by the British after WWII to be killed off.

Today many of the young Russians admire the Germans more than the Soviets.

UFO UFOS| 3.2.12 @ 4:35AM

I thought that one subject on which all Russians UFO

Vladimir| 1.14.11 @ 5:19PM

I can't understand. You are clever people, but you write so strange comments! The author writes that the militia has worked badly. Why?! In France, in Greece last year passed similar excitements. Result: much of the burned cars, the broken show-windows, hundreds victims. In Russia anything similar isn't present. Yes, there were collisions, but they have been quickly localized.
How you Americans can compare Russia to nazis when the USA bomb Avganistan, Iraq, Yugoslavia. Thousand peace people die because of USA it is favourable to displace this or that regime. Nazis too didn't consider themselves inhuman. But inhabitants of Czechia, Poland, Serbia, Russia thought absolutely differently. As well inhabitants of Iraq and Avganistana which see the American bombs falling from the sky don't see a difference between nazi Germany and the USA.

Serge| 1.15.11 @ 2:09AM

Vladimir, you may be right there were no burned cars in the street of Moscow, however in how many Western European capitals dozens of people were killed and many more are almost weekly seriously beaten by young gangs because of their color of skin?
Do you often hear that London or Paris police advised foreign students to stay at home on Hitler's birthday? Apparently somewhere in Amsterdam ethnic minorities closed their stalls and keep their children out of the school on that day, as unfortunately has been the case in Russia for several years now. What about the popularity of nazist ideas among Russian youth, where according to some estimates half of neo nazi skinheads of the world live?
The events in Moscow should be considered within the context of this tensed inter ethnic situation in Russia, which in my opinion is much more serious than in any major Western European nation.

Just Russian| 1.14.11 @ 5:34PM

This article is a ravings of a madman. I live in Russia and I can tell you that Russians want only just to live and don't be afraid of going to home and be killed by immigrants! More than 70% of crime is commited by immigrants but population of them is only about 15-20%.

worddust| 1.16.11 @ 5:14PM

These statistics sounds very familiar to me and I live in NJ USA. Problems like this are more universal than many will admit.

DD Suwanee| 1.14.11 @ 6:25PM

Vladimir is confused. He doesn't understand that America fights for the freedom of others like in Iraq and Afganistan. If is had not been for America's help, Germany would have over thrown the Soviet Union in WWII. And, if you thought Hitler wanted to kill Jews as being inferior, what would he have done to Soviets like he did to the people of Poland? You need to get the facts and not rely on main stream media in your country.

Cool guy| 1.14.11 @ 11:23PM

Yea, right.
Roses is red, violets is blue...
Sweet dreams America

Vladimir| 1.15.11 @ 7:09AM

I mean the same. Be consecutive.
People of Iraq and Afghanistan didn't ask you to help them. There are many countries in which the situation is worse, than was in Iraq and Avganistane. But in Iraq oil, and this reason why states came to this country. Don't tell me about freedom!! Inhabitants of Iraq and Afghanistan don't feel your freedom.

Tina B| 1.15.11 @ 7:40AM

Yes, you are believing American Leftist propaganda.
In truth, we did nothing for oil, we gained nothing from our attempts at bringing freedom to Iraq and we are still chasing OBL in Afghanistan. Our intentions were, as we Conservatives feel, just as in Viet Nam, to fight totalitarian regimes and bring a version of Freedom to those being crushed. Communists in South Viet Nam and Sadaam and his minions in Iraq. We may have been misguided, as the Iraqis continue to kill each other, and OBL is still hidden and being protected, and Viet Nam fell and genocide ensued. But it is in America's blood to die for freedom, here or wherever they are sent to help another people. (I am Brittish born) and my Polish dad left Europe after the War to come to the "home of the brave and the land of the free."
Our family has been blessed.
I am sorry, but maybe a Russian just couldn't understand that. Believe it, it is the tryth about this wonderful country at its best. America isn't perfect, but no other nation has so many people begging, fighting and dying just to get in.

Pelligrino| 1.16.11 @ 3:24AM

Tina B., thank you. "Tak, tak, tak!' You are fully correct. Very glad that you and your family are here. And the USA is blessed to have all of you.

I would encourage any doubter to look for a (usually annually held) July 4th new citizens' ceremony near where one lives in the USA. Plan to attend. Listen to the stories of the new citizens. Ask them why they have made this life decision.

And congratulate them as your new countrymen.

ExPat| 1.15.11 @ 8:07AM

Ever since the 2018 World Cup was foolishly awarded to Russia many have been predicting it will be a showcase for hooliganism and racial taunts which have been common over there for some time. Of course Putin could always come down hard on these elements if he wants, and is still in power.

Tina B| 1.15.11 @ 10:45AM

*that was truth, (tryth?)

Wayne | 1.15.11 @ 1:46PM

Study the history of Chicago. Daley was a gang leader and Irish politicians used them to take control of the city. He eventually graduated to mayor and his cohorts became the police chief and fire chief. Other ethnic gangs were continually added to club and their purpose was to keep the citizens in line. Now we are talking about the son of Daley being a centrist (what a joke).

Richard Baker| 1.15.11 @ 2:14PM

Unfortunately, Russia has a people who have been under serfdom, slavery, domination, or whatever you call it for a thousand years, at least. While all human beings "yearn to breathe free", in Russia, whether due to the Tsars or Communists, such a sentiment is stifled, to say the least. Dictatorships, Tsars/Tsarinas, Rasputins, or Dzershinskys seem to be the rule instead of the exception. Not surprised that the skinheads are coming to the fore. I'd imagine Putin will be happy to use them as did Hitler the SA (the Brownshirts).

Wayne | 1.16.11 @ 2:06PM

Good point as Kerensky found out. Russia had 6 months of Democracy after deposing the czar only to let the iron-handed Bolsheviks take over. They missed being told what to do.

Mark| 1.16.11 @ 7:48PM

I think the same is true for the Chinese.

G. | 1.16.11 @ 3:19PM

Wayne,

As a born and raised West Sider, I and my family have suffered the effects of the Daleys' carving up the city for themselves and their cronies, while leaving non-Irish and other non-connected whites at the mercy of angry blacks, who obeyed the unwritten law to stay out of the protected areas in exchange for being allowed to rampage at will in the other parts of the city. I've been trying for many years to get something on King Richard The First. Specifically, I had a hunch the official biographers were hiding gang activity under the title of ward organizer, his first city job. Now you have come out and said it. I have also had my suspicions as to why no mention is ever made of the young Daley's whereabouts during the 1919 race riot. If it can be arranged, I'd like to exchange emails with you.

N.B. To the editor: you may consider this note as my permission to give my email address to "Wayne".

mARK| 1.16.11 @ 7:47PM

Rampage at will,.....lol!

EyeOnMadisonStreet| 1.18.11 @ 5:04PM

mARK,
Would you care to expand on your comment a little?

PacRim Jim| 1.16.11 @ 3:56PM

Thugocracy.
Why do you suppose Obama wants to create a civilian army loyal to him?

Mark| 1.16.11 @ 7:52PM

The interesting thing here for me is that whenever whites band together for their own perceived safety and salvation, immediately somebody brings up the National-Socialist movement of Germany. Not all whites who want to protect their identity and culture want to do harmful things to others.