Putin's hidden war: the Russians fighting back
foreign as tanks rolled into Ukraine Russians were left with a stark choice continue as normal or make a stand against Putin's War e is [Music] but speaking out in Russia is almost impossible um for the past year The Economist has followed some of the Russians brave enough to tell the truth about the conflict um but when even the smallest Act of rebellion can have terrible consequences and running away is an act of defiance foreign what real hope is there is very hard to imagine this War ending without some form of violence being brought back inside Russia [Music] foreign [Music] Putin Was preparing for war she feared the worst news foreign ER has spent years trying to curb his power as part of the opposition but the events of 2022 would be the greatest challenge yet foreign [Music] Russia has invaded Ukraine explosions and arid Sirens ringing out here in Kiev Russian missiles have blasted air bases and other military assets we are witnessing history the largest war in Europe since the end of World War II on the morning of the invasion Marina moves fast making one of the first direct calls for anti-war protests is her call hits a nerve thousands of ordinary Russians take to the streets but the police are waiting peaceful protests will not be tolerated by that time the police is completely in control Putin knew what he was doing he was he has been preparing for it the most important thing for Putin at that point is to show that there is no protest to show that people are isolated Marina never made it to the rally she had called for foreign given Russia's scale the protests are relatively small but the police Crackdown is decisive 15 000 are arrested in the first month of the war across 155 cities even those just trying to document the protests can be targeted photojournalist vika is covering the rallies is 10 days after the invasion the police sees her yes to provide the Crackdown does not stop at arresting reporters determined to silence old Ascent Putin passes new laws which make it a crime to criticize the war even calling it a war and not a special military operation can land you in prison do you have this predominant feeling of shock and anger there is no way of demonstrating it not through media not through protest it's a point at which the regime turns from authoritarianism into complete tyranny the effect is immediate TV stations walk out in protest 250 media channels are blocked and by the end of the year more than 500 journalists leave Russia while it might appear this repression came from nowhere the war against the resistance within Russia began long before the invasion investigative journalist Raman dobrahordov runs the website The Insider our investigations were mostly data driven we were using open source intelligence we debunked some disinformation of the Russian propaganda which is very very toxic he fled Russia after the FSB raided his home in 2021 he was just one of many journalists and activists forced out or into prison in preparation for war Putin understood that like he can't wage war into France so she needs to do something with the Russian opposition Russian media inside the country first Putin has been preparing for this war since probably 2014. since the annexation of Crimea by purging Russian information Space by purging Russian politics of any descending voices and now looking back at it you realize that the poisoning of Alexander navalny was all part of this operation when war broke out opposition leader Alexi navalny had already been in jail for over a year and as the conflict continued he could only denounce the war from his cell s so the war is on two fronts the wars in Ukraine but the war is also inside Russia since being forced out of Russia exiled journalists like Rahman have become a crucial part of the resistance with far more power to undermine the Kremlin than they would have inside the country our audience is bigger despite all the censorship people feel angry about the situation with unpredictability over the future and we feel that they trust our information more and more because they see that the propaganda is deceiving them so that's why we're so invested in working as journalists now because we feel that it is a moment in the 20 years after we live under Putin that everything can change for russia-based journalists that change feels distant reporting is almost impossible yes foreign after the police Crackdown the rallies subside within two weeks but the news from Ukraine is horrific Russian troops have massacred civilians in towns outside Kiev this is There is almost no way to protest against these crimes in Russia those who speak out face years in jail and instead of rallies activists now stage one-man pickets or individual rebellions like changing Supermarket price tags for anti-war slogans but even reporting on these acts is incredibly dangerous is um that individual action really matters because what this people are saying is we have agency this war will not be carried out in our name and yes at the moment they seem like a molecule in this kind of sea of conformism and this individual bravery still matters but outside Russia individuals who fight back have far more power together [Music] Maria alohina or Masha is part of feminist protest group [ __ ] Riot she was under strict police curfew when war broke out but managed to escape her building disguised as a food delivery driver and flee the country [Music] no stranger to persecution she was famously locked up after performing in a cathedral in Moscow in 2012. but she believes State repression is now far worse just because currently touring Europe with their protest song she enjoys Free Speech no longer possible in Russia [Music] is thank you so much [Applause] but protest songs would be no match for Putin's next move hi I'm Arcadia strovsky I'm The Economist Russia editor if you'd like to read more about our coverage of Russia Ukraine and the war why not subscribe to The Economist you will receive weekly analysis of global Affairs which you can read on your app online or listen to our audio Edition for the best offer click on the link Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has signed a decree ordering the partial military mobilization of Russia's Armed Forces beginning today from September ordinary men are conscripted to join the war tearing families apart um there is a violent surge of anger conscription offices are set on fire and for the first time in months crowds take to the streets vika had planned to cover the rallies but on the morning of the protest her flat was raided by Security Services her door was smashed open across video and her equipment confiscated um there is no rule logic to how loud you need to speak against the war to get picked up so the point is control the point of sphere yeah at the spices and shed so um [Music] for the men being told to fight and die for Putin waiting is not an option the only way they can resist is to flee we've eaten potatoes New Bright activities [Music] [Music] over three quarters of a million people leave in the month after mobilization it worker costia documents his journey on social media um foreign [Music] but this Exodus plays into Putin's hand [Music] The Evil Genius of this mobilization was that Putin cap the borders open he allowed people to leave the country while mobilizing others you let those who have resources the skills and agency to leave the country at the same time you're recruiting people who don't have that agency who feel they have no choice but to go and fight in Armenia the ark a charity set up to help Russians fleeing persecution is inundated with requests for help Dimitri is among the new arrivals he left home 10 days ago information foreign he escaped without a plan for his future leaving his fiancee behind in Russia is [Music] Channel [Music] um spawn [Music] after immobilization the need for protest is even more urgent social media sites are flooded with men claiming to be conscripts it is becoming clear the conscripts are not properly trained or armed and yet Putin's position is stronger than before conscription started a lot of people before the mobilization started believe Putin will not be able to get over this line that this will erode support for the regime and this would be a turning point Putin has proved them wrong yes these are not the best equipped or the best trained troops but in the eyes of a large portion of Russian population Putin still has legitimacy if the Tsar tells you to go and fight and die in the war people go and fight and die in that war there are no accurate figures for how many Russians have been killed when mobilization was announced the government said just under 6 000 had died but unofficial estimates put it closer to one hundred thousand is in the absence of reliable numbers Marina has started to build a database of the Dead but questioning the official narrative about the war is a dangerous Act of resistance [Music] today one of Marina's contacts in southern Russia is hunting graveyards in search of the true number of dead it's dangerous work they've already been stopped by police several times [Music] [Music] and cataloging the cost of war is taking its toll on Marina um foreign but despite the dangers of speaking the truth in Russia vika and Marina will not leave foreign [Music] a year after the invasion it is becoming clear that change in Russia may not be brought about by activists in the country but by losses in Ukraine the most dangerous for Putin is when the perception of his position changes on the battlefield if the Russians start feeling that he has actually lost the War I think political situation Russia could change very very fast until that day activists can only hope their efforts will make a difference to how history remembers Putin's Ward foreign [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] I write about Russia in Ukraine for The Economist if you want to read more of our coverage of Ukraine or Russia in the war please click on the link below and don't forget to subscribe
2023-02-25 11:53
