According to one potted history lesson given by a former Russian (female) colleague, Russian young men were sent to war and died in world war one, in the civil war, in world war two and in the purges, where the bright (mainly male) stars of the intellectual scene were disposed of. Add to this the poor life expectancy for men, who on average die at least twelve years younger than women at 63, and Russia still has a predominately female population who are beginning to make their mark on the country. These are the ‘rossianki’ to watch.
Natalia Sokol, aka Koza, is one of the core members of Russian guerrilla art group Voina, most famous for painting an illuminated phallus on a drawbridge in St Petersburg, and is often pictured with the group’s youngest activist, two-year-old Kasper
These were the activists, philosophers, artists and citizens whom we met each month of this year across our pan-European citizen media landscape, from Egypt to Russia - follow the links to re-read the articles. Happy holidays!
We first meet Voina, Moscow-based self-styled ‘street art gang’ formed in 2005, in October.
“My wife and Voina activist Natalya Sokol lives without any ID for one year now. Her passport was confiscated by policemen from the Special Service against Extremism North Western Federal Department. They also confiscated her travel passport, her driver license, her Moscow State University ID as scientific assistant and her health insurance ID.
Besides countless minor problems, this means that Natalya cannot get medical care for her two year old son Kasper, because there is no written proof that she is his mother.
She cannot vote. On the 4th of December there was a parlament election she couldn’t take part in.
Her fundamental rights are being violated. To move within the country and even use public transport is impossible for her and her son – IDs are necessary everywhere.
The child’s benefit for Kasper was also withdrawn.
All petitions were rejected by the investigating officer and by the Department of Public Prosecution.
The reason given for the rejection of all the petitions: the confiscated documents and objects are of interest for the investigation of criminal case number 276858.
Since neither Natalya nor Kasper were officially involved in this criminal case, it seems to be illegal to confiscate their documents, and this confiscation appears to be a form of pressure on the relatives of the accused.”
Natalya Sokol states:
“A lawyer petitioned on my request to the investigating officer Mr. Borodavkin for the return of my documents and for the return of benefits for my son Kasper.
The petition was rejected (there should be a copy among all the materials of the case at the police).
I sent a second petition to the investigator officer Mr. Petrov in early February via regular mail and still haven’t got a reply.”
With organisers saying that almost 100, 000 people protested in Russia’s biggest anti-governmental rally on 10 December - accusing the kremlin of ‘fraud’ in 4 December parliamentary elections - we hear from the Moscow-based self-styled ‘street art gang’ in part two of an exclusive interview, where they describe their role in this Russia.
VOINA Group
What do you think about the reactions in the media to your actions? What’s the biggest cliché you’ve heard about the group?
Koza (the group’scoordinator Natalia Sokol): There’s a great number of myths about Voina circulating in the media. Any given publication is 30% gossip and hearsay, even though we are always available and open to communication with journalists. The thing is, there is no honest, independent journalism in Russia. It has been eradicated. On the other hand, the misinformation in the media sometimes works in our favour. It helps to have a cloud of lies surrounding you when the state is attempting criminal persecution against you.
Leo (the group’s president, Leonid Nikolaev): The biggest cliche is that we are simply spoiled ‘golden youth’, rich party kids whose powerful parents keep us out of trouble. In truth, we a leading a deeply underground existence, living the honest lives of Russian paupers.
Voina’s action | ‘Help a child, help your country!’
What do you think or Russian politics today? And of Russian culture?
Vor (the group’s ideologist Oleg Vorotnikov): There is no politics in Russia today. The so-called parliamentary opposition as a whole is entirely tame and controlled. The communists have long turned into prostitutes who whore themselves out to the regime. The non-parliamentary street opposition has been wiped from the streets, crushed, its activists thrown behind bars or physically exterminated by riot police and by the infamous police department ‘center E’, the anti-extremism department, which has assumed the role of secret police tasked with suppressing political dissent. The list of activists and journalists in Russia who have been killed, maimed or imprisoned is ever growing.
Then there are the so-called liberals, a bourgeois crowd, self-proclaimed as part of the opposition. All they do is hang out and organise festivals in their own honour, all sanctioned by the president’s administration. They enjoy themselves at country resorts where they hold their conferences, and they call it protest activity. They’re nothing more than trendy kids, clutching their iPhones as they discuss the revolution on twitter. They aren’t interesting to anyone but themselves yet for the regime they are very convenient. The underground protest movement is now on the rise. It is made up of activists who no longer see any promise in peaceful protest methods. They are extremely secretive and have serious ambitions. They are forming underground squads and groups that would oppose the regime by force. Peaceful protest has exhausted itself.
Leo: In the years of Putin’s rule (2000 - 2008 - ed), the regime has discredited peaceful protests through violent crackdowns on harmless rallies, and through beatings and long prison sentences for peaceful activists. On the other hand, the adherents of peaceful protest have been discrediting themselves for a long time. They have failed to find a way to make their protest effective. There is only one way for true opposition in today’s Russia: WAR, or VOINA.
Do you also see positive trends in Russia today?
Vor: Yes. The things germinating in the underground right now are unknown activists who are the only people we work with. All of our thoughts and deeds belong to Russia. However, I’m not at all sure that Russia has a future. Only in the best case scenario would it be able to continue its existence as a country without the need for human sacrifice. That is the most optimistic projection.
What artists do you admire?
Leo: There’s no sense talking about artists. Our art tastes are irrelevant. Art did affect us when we were students, it helped shape us but it isn’t central to our lives anymore.
Koza: We don’t care about art anymore. We’re politicians, fighters.
Where do you see yourselves in ten years time?
Vor: I’m not sure that I will live that long. The path of a Russian activist is tragic. Once you’re engaged in actions, you don’t belong to this world anymore. You belong to actionism.
Leo: I am confident that the regime will choke on us. We’re inedible. We’re poisonous fruit.
Koza: In October the criminal investigation against Voina was closed. Suddenly the public prosecutor’s office decides to reopen it. There’s an international arrest warrant out against Vor. I’m wanted by the police country-wide (Voina’s Koza has just been declared an internationally wanted person. She’s being charged with insulting a police officer and violence against a police officer). On 18 October, Kasper and I were abducted from the street by Center E operatives The system has been working towards taking away our son since November 2010. We’re seeing more and more charges being brought against Voina members. Our activists in St. Petersburg are being detained on a regular basis, their homes invaded by cops who destroy their personal possessions in faux searches. Just a few days ago, two plain-clothes cops (most likely Center E agents) broke into Leo’s home in Moscow. Leo was clear of any criminal charges at the time. The majority of our members have already abandoned their homes and resorted to an underground existence.
Vor: Ten years does not mean anything to us. We belong to history.
by Marina Galperina on November 25, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Voina supports Skif Bratok:
Vor: The cars were arguing about who was the best. “I can stop even the fastest car,” said the cop. Kasper: Take that, cop! Go away! Koza: Why are you tearing the book, Kasper? Kasper: I boom cops! Koza: What are you destroying the book for? Kasper: Mommy, may I hit the cop? So he can’t come here. Cop is bad! Kasper: Take that, cop! Take that, cop! Boom boom boom! Kasper: Freedom! Daddy, say “freedom”! Vor: Freedom! Kasper: Freedom! Vor: Freedom! Kasper: Freedom! Koza: Freedom! Vor: What Skif Bratok did was a truly noble, humane deed. And for that he deserves freedom! Freedom to Skif Bratok! Koza: We doused! We douse! And we will douse! No forgetting, no forgiveness! Kasper: Douse! Douse! Douse! Koza: Freedom to Skif Bratok!
Dmitri “Skif” Putehin of Other Russia could face two years in prison for throwing a glass of water at a prosecutor at the trial of his friend. Protest artist crew Voina made this family video in support of the imprisoned activist. Little Kasper the Striking Falcon isn’t a fan of the Ru po-po.
In this video (censored on YouTube for some reason), we see Oleg “Thief” Vorotnikov reading an illustrated baby book to his son who then proceeds to mercilessly beat and stab the image of a Russian copper. After mommy activist Natalia “Kozlenok” Sokol tells him to stop ruining the book, he gibbershly declares an enthusiastic dislike of the authority figure, but can you really blame him?
Now, yes, worried Jesus Campflashbacks are fully justified because obviously, Kasper wasn’t born with this anti-authoritarian gusto (or was he?). Somehow, I’m not disturbed by this. He is, after all, the Voina heir and being prepared for that legacy won’t hurt as much as the alternative.
So, to sum up, Skif is currently being persecuted for his “assault”/sprinkling some water on the prosecutor, mostly because the prosecutor mistook Skif’s protest yell of “Never forget, never forgive!” as “Die, prosecutor, die!” Naturally, Voina isn’t a stranger to such legal exaggerations, themselves having faced seven years in prison for their performance art piece pitched as a “hate crime” against cops.
Mostly, Kasper’s chanting “Freedom! Freedom!” and his parents agree.
Vor got away from police in the night of Oct 18th, 2011
Oleg:
We had set up a meeting with journalists at the Alexander Haus hotel (27 Kryukov channel). The journalists were Ulf Kalkreuth and Igor Nedorezov, from the German ARD television.
Voina member Natalia Sokol (Kozlenok) and her 2.5 year old son Kasper were apprehended by plainclothes police officers a few hours ago in St. Petersburg. The bust took place at approximately 0:12 AM, October 18th. According to Voina attorney Dmitri Dinze, Kozlenok was approached by an unmarked car while walking down the street in downtown St. Petersburg. Four plainclothes police operatives then exited the car to make the arrest. Kozlenok is currently being held in custody at police station #1 (16 Yakubovicha str., phone: (812) 573-0210).
Natalia Sokol is wanted by the Russian police country-wide since August for allegedly sprinkling police officers with urine during the March 31st, 2011 protests in St. Petersburg.
