1/12 We - Russia - want to be a nation of peace. Alas, few people would call us that now.
2/12 But let's at least not become a nation of frightened silent people. Of cowards who pretend not to notice the aggressive war against Ukraine unleashed by our obviously insane czar.
3/12 I cannot, do not want and will not remain silent watching how pseudo-historical nonsense about the events of 100 years ago has become an excuse for Russians to kill Ukrainians, and for Ukrainians to kill Russians while defending themselves.
4/12 It's the third decade of the 21st century, and we are watching news about people burning down in tanks and bombed houses. We are watching real threats to start a nuclear war on our TVs.
5/12 I am from the USSR myself. I was born there. And the main phrase from there - from my childhood - was "fight for peace." I call on everyone to take to the streets and fight for peace.
6/12 Putin is not Russia. And if there is anything in Russia right now that you can be most proud of, it is those 6824 people who were detained because - without any call - they took to the streets with placards saying "No War".
7/12 They say that someone who cannot attend a rally and does not risk being arrested for it cannot call for it. I'm already in prison, so I think I can.
8/12 We cannot wait any longer. Wherever you are, in Russia, Belarus or on the other side of the planet, go to the main square of your city every weekday and at 2 pm on weekends and holidays.
9/12 If you are abroad, come to the Russian embassy. If you can organise a demonstration, do so on the weekend. Yes, maybe only a few people will take to the streets on the first day. And in the second - even less.
10/12 But we must, gritting our teeth and overcoming fear, come out and demand an end to the war.
Each arrested person must be replaced by two newcomers.
11/12 If in order to stop the war we have to fill prisons and paddy wagons with ourselves, we will fill prisons and paddy wagons with ourselves.
12/12 Everything has a price, and now, in the spring of 2022, we must pay this price. There's no one to do it for us. Let's not "be against the war." Let's fight against the war.
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1/15 I like the idea of anti-Putin voters going to the polling stations together at 12 noon.
At noon against Putin.
2/15 That could be a strong demonstration of national sentiment. The real voters versus the fiction of e-voting. Real people standing in line to vote against Putin, versus fake and fraudulent "yes" votes.
3/15 Most importantly, this is a real nationwide protest action that will take place not only in every city but in every district of every city.
Political action in the real world, not on the Internet.
1/6 The singer Shaman appeared on stage when I was already imprisoned, so I could neither see nor listen to his music. But I know that he is now Putin's main singer. And he has the most popular song: “I’m Russian".
2/6 Everyone knows it, parodies of it are recorded, and so on. Of course, I was certainly curious to listen, but where in the prison I could do it?
And then I was taken to Yamal.
3/6 And here, every day at 5 o’clock in the morning, we hear the command: «Wake up!», followed by the Russian national anthem. Immediately afterward, the country's second most important song is played - «I’m Russian» by Shaman.
1/5 Певец Шаман появился, когда я уже сидел, поэтому я его не видел и не слышал, но знал, что есть сейчас такой главный путинский исполнитель — Шаман. И у него есть главная песня — «Я русский».
2/5 Её все знают, пародии на нее записывают и т.д. Мне, конечно, любопытно было послушать, но где на зоне послушаешь.
И тут меня привезли на Ямал.
3/5 А здесь каждый день в пять утра команда «Подъем», следом играет гимн России. Сразу после него — вторая по важности песня страны: всегда включают эту песню Шамана «Я русский».
Так что представьте себе картинку: Ямало-Ненецкий автономный округ. Полярная ночь.
1/17 Exactly three years ago, I came back to Russia after treatment following my poisoning. I was arrested at the airport. And for three years, I've been in prison.
And for three years, I've been answering the same question.
2/17 Prisoners ask it simply and directly.
Prison officials inquire about it cautiously, with the recorders turned off.
"Why did you come back?"
3/17 Responding to this question, I experience frustration in two different ways. Firstly, there's a self-directed frustration for failing to find the right words that could make everyone comprehend and put an end to this incessant questioning.
1/16 Ровно три года назад я вернулся в Россию, пройдя лечение после отравления. В аэропорту меня арестовали. И вот три года я сижу.
И три года отвечаю на один и тот же вопрос.
2/16 Зэки задают его просто и прямо.
Сотрудники тюремных администраций осторожно, при выключенных регистраторах.
«Ты зачем вернулся?»
3/16 Отвечая на этот вопрос, я уже даже испытываю легкую досаду двух видов. Первую — на себя, что не мог найти таких слов, чтобы всем стало понятно и перестали спрашивать.