Slowing the great Russian war machine

By Tommy Hodgson

The words ‘Russian’ and ‘activist’ are not frequently seen together in the English-language press, unless to identify those imprisoned, forced into exile, or worse. But Russian activists do exist, and not simply as victims of state repression.

Indeed, a complex web of anti-war, feminist, environmental and social justice campaigners have been active throughout Putin’s 23-year rule, with a variety of tactics at their disposal, from demonstrations to direct action. The ongoing war in Ukraine and subsequent state crackdown on free speech in Russia has forced activists to adapt to a more amorphous, and cruel, political landscape.

Feminist Anti-War Resistance (FAR) is a grassroots activist group which operates both in and outside of Russia. Created the day after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine by uniting many feminist activists and groups, its original function was to help coordinate the flurry of anti-war protests which erupted across Russian cities in the days and weeks that followed, alongside other oppositional movements.

I spoke to one of FAR’s organisers Lölja Nordic, a Russian eco-feminist, anarchist, artist and DJ. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, her early activism involved taking part in liberal oppositional rallies, but she quickly realised these structures had toxic dynamics, gender inequality and discrimination within their own ranks.

“I was arrested four times within a year and a half before leaving Russia. It escalated after the full-scale invasion – the authorities started a terrorism case against me which was fully fabricated. The special police squad raided me – they broke into my apartment with automatic guns, made a mess and arrested me as a terrorist suspect.”

Slowing the great Russian war machine

By Tommy Hodgson