Russian Nationalism on the Rise, Despite Putin Crackdown

Parliamentary elections in Russia took place on December  4 under a great of scrutiny from external observers and nationalist dissidents inside Russia. Nationalists face an increasing crackdown by the Putin regime which has recently banned a number of nationalist protest groups despite a huge turnout for the recent annual Russian March which attracted thousands of Russian nationalists and patriots from various groups.

The election results indicate that Putin’s United Russia party has lost support (losing 77 seats) but they still have an absolute majority of seats in the Russian Duma. The full result is as follows: United Russia: 238 seats; Communist; 92 seats: Just Russia (Social Democrats); 64 seats: Liberal Democrats (nationalist) 56 seats.

Below is an exclusive interview with one of Russia’s most prominent Nationalist activists, Alexander Belov. The interview is conducted by Preston Wiginton, a former participant in the Russian March who lives in the United States.

Hello Alexander,

Congratulations on a successful Russian March.

I would like to ask you some questions concerning the Russian March and the current condition of Russia.

1. According to the media, there were about 5,000 people on the March. What was the real turnout?

The media quoted different figures. From 5,000 to 20,000 people. Major media outlets have referred to a representative of the Ministry of Interior who claimed 7000 attended the march. I believe that the actual number of participants was more than fifteen thousand people

2. After the events at the Manege Square in Moscow last year, which resulted in clashes between nationalists and the police over illegal immigration, and due to the upcoming presidential elections and elections to the Duma, was there more value in the Russian March this year?

Events at the Manege Square have become iconic for Russian nationalists and influenced the attitude of many open-minded citizens. The absence of fair elections is also a factor for active citizenship.

3. I’ve heard that some persons running for the Duma were using the slogans of the Russian March. Can you comment?

Nationalism is now the most popular ideology. Of course, it is obvous that political parties are trying to respond adequately to the mood of the masses. Beside me on the march were registered candidates for deputies to the Duma from the Liberal Democratic Party, the Just Russia party and Just Cause.

4. According to you, will Russian nationalism have an impact on the upcoming elections?

The vote? Unconditionally. However, the results do not reflect the growth in support. The fact that all the results are well known beforehand. Elections in Russia do not differ much from elections in North Korea.

5. November 4th is supposed to be a day of Russian unity and freedom remembering previous invaders throughout the history of Russia. For example, the expulsion of the Polish-Lithuanian troops from the Moscow Kremlin, the Russian-Polish war of 1605-1608, etc. Now the nationalists are calling for the expulsion of the new invaders. Who is the invader and occupier of today in Russia?

Today, the main occupant is the criminal and cosmopolitan regime that has seized power in Russia via Putin and his friends. The regime has pursued a policy to reduce the indigenous population and replacing it with easy to control elements of the mass immigration from Third World countries.

6. Has the demographic situation changed after the first Russian March in 2005?

In some regions, there have been some minor improvements. However, the general trend of decreasing ethnic Russian population remains.

7. Does Russia have the same problem with the spread of Islam in the West?

Yes, this is a problem. Unlike in the West, there is the presence in the Russian Federation of areas where Islam is the traditional religion. But today, new forms of aggressive Islam are actively infiltrating traditional Russian territories (the Northern Caucasus, the Volga region, etc), and recruiting new adherents themselves out of millions of migrant workers arriving in the central regions of Russia from Central Asia and Transcaucasia. Many of the Muslims who moved to these regions of historic residence of the Russian people are not assimilated and they are trying to impose their own rules. This irritates the local people and backfires on the authorities who allow this to happen.

8. What problems are these new immigrant invaders bringing to Russia?

First, violent crime. The most violent crimes are committed by immigrants. Up to 70% of rapes and 50% of violent crime in Moscow. Because of this, Moscow is the first in Europe by number of murders per year. Their crimes are brutal and senseless. For example, recently an immigrant from Uzbekistan killed a young mother and her one-year-old child in the park by smashing his head on a tree.

Second, immigrants create economic problems. In Russia, there is a high unemployment rate. Their places are occupied by immigrants ready to work for less money. Most of them work for cash, do not pay taxes, but enjoy the social welfare of the state. The economy is not growing, because instead of investment in the improvement of production and purchase of equipment businessmen prefer to use slave labour. In construction there is a joke: “40 Tajiks do the work of one tower crane …”

9. Do they cause unemployment or underemployment? And at what rate?

The average Russian citizen can not provide for themselves and their families for 100-200 dollars a month. And immigrants from Central Asia can since $100 would be enough to maintain a large family in Tajikistan or Uzbekistan

Today in Russia exists the largest number of working-age people since 1917. At the same time, unemployment reaches 10-12 million people. And illegal immigrants are now 10-15 million people in Russia.

10. Is there a conflict of language? In the U.S. there are signs in Spanish and in English. Sometimes when you go to the store owners can only speak only in Spanish. Is there something similar in Russia? Can you trust those who do not speak in Russian when they talk to you?

There is no major linguistic conflict – yet. But the trends are becoming obvious. For example, in Tatarstan, where the proportion of ethnic Russians is more than 50%, the number of schools teaching the Russian language is decreasing. In that region there are numerous protests against coercion of students to study the Tatar language.

In the large cities, in some schools, students and teachers of Russian teach illiterate children of immigrants. The teachers have to give them more time to explain the basic things. As a result, the level of education for everyone decreases.

11. Has crime increased with the arrival of immigrants to Russia? Could you give some examples?

Today, Moscow has the highest number of murders in Europe. Over 60% of violent crimes committed in Moscow are by immigrants. More than 70% of rapes are committed in Moscow are by immigrants. Growth in the number of immigrants have a negative effect on the crime situation.

12. Do immigrants exploit the Russian system?

Immigrants enjoy social benefits and guarantees, but they do not pay taxes.

13.Do the immigrants at least have some respect for the Russian?

There a small number of immigrants who are trying to behave decently. But as the number of immigrants increases, local residents feel intimdated. They face constant harassment, humiliation of human dignity and violence. This immigrant aggression particularly affects women and children. Many of the Russians are forced to sell their home and move into other areas where there are less immigrants.

14. It is often said that immigrants perform work that Russians do not want to do. Is this true? If not, is there a Russian who could work the same way?

Immigrants are tightly integrated into the corruption schemes. For example, janitors in Moscow officially get paid about $ 600 a month. They are mostly natives of Central Asia. But if a citizen of Russia attempts to get a job in the corporation employing street sweepers, they are refused. Since many immigrants give more than half of their salary to the the mafia and corrupt officials, they live in conditions unfit for human rights. The average salary in some central regions of Russia (Kursk, Vladimir, Tver) does not exceed $200 per month. Ethnic clans seized the whole sector of the economy – market trade, transport and construction. In these areas, it is mostly immigrant labour. Attempts by local residents to do legitimate business in these areas can be dangerous for obvious reasons.

15. What do Russians think about the seizure of their lands by hostile immigrants? How do ordinary Russians feel living next to non-Russians?

In the various regions of Russia the displacement of native Russian by the process of immigration has different specific causes. In Siberia and the Far East, the land is bought by the Chinese, who are using mainly economic methods to displace the ethnic Russinas. In southern Russia, North Caucasus Russians are displaced through threats, violence, corrupt government officials. Particular tension is created in the North Caucasus by ethnic clans who have seized all the profitable economic concerns and corrupted the idea of public service.

16. Does the high birth rate among immigrants threaten the ethnic integrity of Russia?

Population pressure is felt today because of increasing immigration. In Russia, there is a negative trend in fertility among Russian and other Christian nations. The average Russian family have no more than two children, while Muslims have four or more children in each family.

17. I often hear that in Russia, there are more than 160 ethnic groups. Most of them are small tribes that make up a very small percentage of the population of Russia. How do they react to Russian nationalism?

Most of the indigenous peoples of Russia support the Russian nationalists. They understand the danger to themselves and the threat of uncontrolled immigration and corruption to their future in Russia.

18. Are there any places in Russia where one can go to be free from immigrants?

In regions that are largely free of immigrants this is due to the poor economic situation. Immigrants tend to go where the most money is to be made.

19. Do many Russians support your views? How many in the polls? And how many on the streets?

Today, the majority of Russians adhere to one degree or another of nationalistic views. More than 50% of Russian citizens support the slogan “Russia for the Russian.” Every year the number of people willing to express their political stance on the streets increases. Today, there are more people participating in nationalist campaigns and more people have left the party that is currently in power.

20. Is there any collaboration with other parties in Russia on these issues? Liberal Democratic Party? Yabloko ? Communist Party? Just Russia? Or the National Bolsheviks? Please comment on each.

We are open to cooperation with all forward-looking groups. We are already working with several parties on specific issues. For example, with the Liberal Democratic Party we have created the Russian Committee, which is developing proposals for legislative and legal support for Russians. In some regions the Communist Party openly cooperated with the nationalists and gave us a place in the regional lists. The National Bolsheviks often take part in street rallies in conjunction with the nationalists.

21. What role does Dmitry Rogozin, a former leader of the Motherland Party play in Russian nationalism today?

I hope you watched the movie “Braveheart” with Mel Gibson. Dmitry Rogozin has the leading role as the ‘Scottish King’ in Russian nationalism.

22. What solutions do you and your nationalist organizations offer in order to save Russia? For example, how do you think you will solve the problem of very low birth rate in Russia? What ways could lead to Russian prosperity? What can be done to preserve the authentic cultural, ethnic and racial heritage of your people?

The state should stop the policy of promoting abortion. The Russian Federation has the largest number of abortions in Europe. Up to 2 million a year. The nationalists are promoting and defending traditional values. Promoting healthy lifestyles. Public condemnation of same-sex unions and other cultural distortions. We lead the fight against alcoholism and drug addiction. Last year illegal drugs in the Russian Federation killed about 40 thousand people.

The power to change the situation in Russia will have to be led by the people or the Russians will be swept away. Any new government and new Russian state will be focused on supporting the native Russian people, while maintaining ethnic diversity in Russia. Please note that maintaining “ethnic diversity” in Russia means maintaining those that are an integral part of the Russian Federation and who support the Russian people. It does not mean increasing ethnic diversity in Russia by more Third World and Mulsim immigration.

23. Does Putin or Medvedev understand the importance of race and do they believe that Russia is impossible without the Russians?

No.

24. Why does the current government allow immigration of non-whites while the ordinary people in Russia speak out against it?

The authorities in Russia are corrupt and incompetent. On many issues they are guided by outdated notions. For example, they still believe that attracting a large number of unprofessional, uneducated immigrants will have a positive impact on the economy.

They also think that by attracting immigrants from Central Asia and the Caucasus this will help the process of integration. Also, the thinking in the Kremlin is that Russia will have influence in these regions as a result of more immigration to native Russian lands.

There is also a more radical view. Some nationalists say that immigrants are needed in order to dilute the native population and undermine its special rights to the land. And, thus, more immigration will simplify the process of exploitation of the population and natural resources.

25. Are Putin and Medvedev just cracking down against nationalist groups politically or are they trying to drive them underground?

The state in the Russian Federation has launched a full-scale repressive machine. At the moment, we have recorded more than 1,200 persons convicted for their political beliefs. Activists of nationalist organisations are dismissed, expelled from universities and there are implications for their families as well. Databases of “unreliable citizens” (usually nationalist) have been made of more than twenty thousand people throughout Russia. Precinct police officers have been instructed to watch for these people. they keep track of their contacts, political activities and movement.

26. Do you collaborate with other nationalist organizations in other countries or are you planning to cooperate in the future?

Yes, we are in contact with several European nationalist organisations. Currently, the most active contacts occur through Berlin and Paris. However, we aim to deepen and expand cooperation with all the savvy nationalists and patriots from other countries.

27. What, in your opinion, is the future of Russian nationalism?

Russia has no other future! Only nationalism!!!!

Thank you very much for your answers, Alexander! I have enjoyed my part in previous Russian Marches. Also, I like to receive information from a direct source. The media often lie when it comes to nationalism. I hope this interview will be posted on many nationalist websites in order to enable people to find out what is really happening in Russia.

During the elections of the Russian Duma, Alexander Belov was kidnapped by police on December 3rd, while the elections were held on December 4th, 2011. He was released on December 5th unharmed.

Preston Wiginton is an independent activist who has been to Russia many times. He participated in the Russian March in 2007 and 2009 as a speaker. He spoke mainly on how the abuse of Civil Rights and the rise of multi-culturalism and mass immigration has created conflict and destruction in America and has been a great burden to the American taxpayer.