Category: Uncategorized
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How Russia’s Military and Law Enforcement Coerce Participation in War – By Mikhail Rarov
My refusal to participate in military service and combat operations is based on personal experience, observations of how the system functions, and an understanding of the risks I may face. I completed my mandatory military service about ten years ago and had the opportunity to observe the internal processes of the army. The effectiveness and
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We Are Against the Putin Regime. A Statement from Our Family — by Roman Milenkii
We are an ordinary family. Not politicians, not oligarchs, not people with access to power. We are like millions of others: we worked, made plans, dreamed of a peaceful life and a future for our children. But today we are forced to say openly and out loud: we are against the Putin regime. Against a
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Why I Chose Not to Stay Silent — by Kirill Milenkii
My name is Kirill, I am 23 years old. I served compulsory military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation from November 2021 to November 2022. At that time, I still didn’t fully understand how strongly state propaganda shaped the minds of the people around me. But as events unfolded, I saw growing
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Why Voice of America Mattered to Me – and to Millions of Others Like Me – By Maksim Kisil
I was born and raised in Russia. Beginning in 2017, I became deeply involved in the anti-corruption movement led by Alexei Navalny. My colleagues and I organized rallies and marches, and I served as an election monitor in the presidential election of 2018, where I saw firsthand the ways that Putin rigs elections so that
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The Price of Protest: Repression After the 2020 Elections by Artur Saroka
My story began back in college. At that time, we were literally forced to believe in Lukashenko. Before the 2020 elections, we were openly told: if you vote for him, you’ll be treated more leniently during exams. Teachers demanded photos of our ballots to check that we had “done the right thing.” I felt deeply
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“Three Stories of Torture: What I Witnessed While Volunteering for OVD-Info” by Marianna Bezhanyan
Having people detained after protests in Russia is a tradition. Most people who take to the streets already know exactly what to do if they are arrested. The first instruction: contact OVD-Info so they can add you to their database. That way, your relatives and volunteers can locate you before the system disappears you. OVD-Info