Russian non-system opposition

(Includes some politicians, artists, journalists, scientists).

Actionists

 * Petr Pavlenskii
 * Stich Red Square Wired Psychiatric hospital roof "Svoboda" action-recreating Maidan in St Petersburg.
 * 9.11.2015. Sets FSB entrance on fire in a staged photo-op, arrested, administrative charges filed ( hooliganism)- report. Criminal charges (vandalism) -report. Reaction to this latest action is strongly divided, along the opposition/pro government line.
 * Jan. 17, 2017. Pavlenskii and Shulgina arrive to Ukraine and give a video interview where they say that they are driven to leave Russia due to a new criminal investigation (after spending 11 months in detention for the FSB action) which they claim is a tool of their suppression by the system and revenge for all of the Pavlenskii's actionism. They explain that they practice open relationships, and there has been an actress from an opposition theater seeking contact with them for a while, who later accused them of "forcible actions of sexual character" (art. 132 of the criminal code). They say  at first they did not take it seriously, but in the end this charge is very hard to defend against as a complaint of the alleged victim is sufficient.
 * Jan. 30, 2017. An unsympathetic article in Russian opposition press about circumstances leading to Pavlensky and Shalygina emigration to France, with two criminal investigations against Pavlenskii started or threatened, to do with an actress (above)+her boyfriend who was beaten by Pavlenskii in a separate episode and prior to the actress's complaint. Details/blame uncertain, Pavlenskii claims that accusations are cooked-up and politically motivated (while regarding the boyfriend, that he did some wrongs).
 * Aug. 18, 2017. Interview to Rosbalt.
 * Nov. 14, 2017. After his and his wife arrest in Paris for setting Bank of France entrance on fire at Place de la Bastille, Pavlensky started a dry hunger strike in a French prison.
 * June 11, 2018. Rally in support of Peter Pavlensky, Place Vendome, Paris
 * Nov. 1, 2019. "Ecoute-moi Judge: How Peter Pavlensky was tried in Paris".
 * Feb 14, 2020. Pavlenskii in the news again:
 * Griveaux Paris race: Sex video prompts Macron ally to step down -BBC
 * "Russia interferes in French elections" -Cassad
 * It is not immediately obvious why would a guy who is openly practicing open relationships would care who fucks whom how in France. Apparently, this is about hypocrisy, not about fucking.
 * Feb. 15, 2020 Pavlensky is arrested in France 1,2  soon after making public the video, said to be for a violent fight which occurred on 2 Jan. (apparently he defended himself wielding a knife against a group and was hit with a bottle on the head, as presented by Russian sources).
 * Now both Pavlensky and his partner Shalygina, mother of his two daughters, "companion for a little over a year" Alexandra de Taddeo are arrested on invasion of privacy charges. (Oh fuck....)
 * BBC has the story.
 * Feb. 18. 2020. Ex-associate of Pavlensky Oksana Shalygina: “Leave me alone”


 * Pussy Riot, Tolokonnikova, Alekhina
 * 'Chaika' clip, -visuals and critical review by Roman Popkov, Feb. 7, 2016


 * Voina ('War') art group
 * Action "Dick in FSB Captivity", Liteinyi bridge, St Petersburg

Journalists

 * Venediktov, editor-in-chief, Echo of Moscow ('Ekho Moskvy-Russ.).
 * Putin responded to Venediktov, at a meeting with the heads of Russian media, Jan. 18, 2012, Novo Ogarevo, Moscow.
 * Episode is based on stupid comments on Echo Moskvy about anti-missile defense system deployment by USA in Europe. It needs to be understood that Ekho Moskvy typical program consist of talk shows involving various arts, social sciences, or journalism majors without any training in technical (or other relevant professional fields, such as arms control or international relations). Chances of having such  technically illiterate pronouncements in those talk shows is therefore high. Unfamiliar with exact commentary at issue. It appears that since that episode Venediktov continued with his job and was able to receive media briefings with top officials of the state.
 * "11 minutes after this episode", Putin offered Venediktov to become his authorized representative (lit. 'confidant'-доверенное лицо, Rus.) for the upcoming presidential elections. Venediktov turned downed the request (as well as requests from two other candidates, according to  his later interview).
 * Recently translated at Fort Russ as evidence of Venediktov 5 column membership, and listed as a CIA agent and a schizophrenic with symptoms of aggressive, uncontrolled negativism, in a translation of another article with some noteworthy graphics in front.
 * --Resup (talk) 20:11, 20 April 2016 (UTC)

Politicians
21.11.15 Non system opposition do not have factions in current Duma, dominated by the ruling "United Russia" block. Next elections are in Fall, 2016, with opposition struggling to be above the required 5% threshold. Attempts to join forces are underway for quite some time, with unclear outcome. "Democratic choice" is, or was, one of attempted unification blocks,  including RPR Parnas (Kasianov, late Nemtsov), and Party of Progress (Navalnyi). It is said that Open Russia of Khodorkovskii may be involved as well. But at least one other major opposition group, Yabloko, seems to go separate ways. Some latest developments are reflected on RPR Parnas site

10.4.2016 Aleksey Navalnyi: "Navalnyi is CIA agent code name 'Freedom', and he killed Magnitskii" (and so Russsian Channel 1 says).

Khodorkovskii

 * Russia reopens a criminal case, declares Khodorkovsky arrested in absentia, places him on international wanted list, for his alleged role in murder of two people; news and background info TASS (Rus), Dec. 23, 2015.
 * Official announcement by the Russian Investigative Committee (Rus).

Vladimir Petukhov, the first popularly-elected mayor of oil-rich Nefteyugansk, was shot dead on his way to work on June 26, 1998, which happened to be Khodorkovskii birthday. Petukhov as a mayor insisted that Yukos pay more taxes, while Yukos would prefer this to be less, setting grounds for a conflict. With laws of the land being inadequate for capitalism arrival, rules of business and political games were set by complicated relations among top players. In case at hand, it is said that Petukhov started a hunger strike demanding a criminal prosecution of Yukos. Regional governor agreed to investigate the matter. Petukhov was shot and killed shortly after (Petukhov bodyguard was shot as well but survived). Khodorkovskii is also accused in an attempt on the life of a businessman Evgenii Rybin, who had a business and financial dispute with Yukos (demanding from Yukos a payment in the amounts of 50-100 mln $); it is also said that he had unpaid debts to another party. Here is a quote from RT, showing a version close to the official Russian investigation(s) : "The investigation (previous one) found the killing to have been a well-prepared assassination, coordinated by former Yukos oil company Vice-President Leonid Nevzlin and organized by former Yukos security head Aleksey Pichugin. While a Russian court sentenced Pichugin to a life term in prison for three murders and four attempted murders, Nevzlin was sentenced to life in absentia, as he escaped to Israel to avoid the charges. Unlike his subordinates, Yukos CEO Khodorkovsky was not charged with murder, but spent 10 years behind bars for tax evasion, fraud and money laundering."

Alternative Presidential Candidates
Sept.12, 2016. Khodorkovskii launches a web project,  with list and basic info on alternative candidates for 2018  Russian presidential elections. Registered users can add candidates, and their votes are used to set candidates rating. At present, leaders are Navalnyi (anti-corruption), and Shlossberg (famous for reporting on presumed Russian soldiers graves), followed by Evgenii Roizman (getting a lot of mixed press coverage for his anti-drug project). Economist Kudrin has quite high rating too, while Kasyanov (PARNAS) got very negative one (many character attacks on him in media).
 * At present, it is not announced whether Putin runs in 2018 elections. (Based on his current published rating, he is likely to win if he does). Mainstream parties are expected to have their leaders run for president, e.g Yavlinskii (declared to run, Yabloko party). It is likely that other candidates will include  Ziuganov (communists), Zhirinovskii (so-called 'liberal democrats'), but it is not yet declared (wiki).
 * According to Kremlin spokesman Peskov, this project was developed by people 'irreversibly detached from Russia', and 'we do not see anything interesting in this project'.

Khodorkovskiy in paywalled WSJ article (free Russian version here) takes on US-Russian relations and calls to 'understand real problems of Putin and his associates in Russia'. 'The prevailing goal is to delay unavoidable departure from power', 'military adventurism and police state are tools to achieve that objective'. 'Putin cannot resign without grave personal risks'. (This sort of perception is quite common and expressed across the political spectrum. Indeed, there were essentially no instances of orderly peaceful transition with a substantial change of the course; e.g. Yeltsin resignation was coupled with naming Putin as a successor who, in common perception, was supposed to ensure Yeltsin's dignified retirement, as part of the deal. Nobody is around to be such a guarding angel now, apart from perhaps security people--but that would not be a change of the current course, so why to even bother). --So some truth in this; --but without saying that Khodorkovskiy represents an attractive alternative --Resup (talk) 01:30, 11 March 2017 (UTC)

Radicalization
Recently (and after years of little dialogue or opportunity to affect the events) demands of a few political opposition figures became radicalized, calling for revolutionary change, undoing everything that was done by current authorities right on their arrival, etc. What they say is not always totally groundless. Yet it is not well thought out from start to end, does not have enough concern about fates and desires of real people and not just formal principles; and is too radical, for a country with enough revolutions in recent history already. Those opposition figures are foreign-based and foreign-supported; and do not really have compelling (for Russia, not their sponsors) ideas of how changes are supposed to come about or what and how is coming next. Thus it will likely lead to major problems and upheaval as was seen in post-Maidan Ukraine, or post-collapse of the USSR, if realized in practice. At present this does not have popular support and is essentially on the fringes, even among non-system opposition; but in overall difficult economic situation and at time of de-facto 'hybrid warfare', it is hard to be sure how all that may play out. Unfortunately there is no meaningful dialogue, with both sides too preoccupied with undoing the other, or preaching to the converted, and so at this time things do not seem to evolve in any hopeful direction .... --Resup (talk) 16:25, 7 February 2016 (UTC)

Maltsev
22 Aug. 2016. Viacheslav Maltsev, PARNAS party, in televised debates on Russia 1 channel made unusually strong-worded critical comments calling for Putin impeachment, called to unite to prevent bloody revolution and to make it by constitutional means, etc. This follows even more critical comments on his youtube channel and social media. There seems to be no positive component for changes for better. 'Patriotic' opposition is wondering what's going on, is he perhaps provocateur or a 'trial ball' of some sort launched by pro-western oligarchs, etc, as calling for revolutions, etc, breaking Russian law and people have been in difficulty for less, and that they do not have access to major TV channels promoting more balanced, they believe, approach. Nemtsov was very critical too but he seemed to have more analysis and a positive component for changes. It is unclear at this point is this Maltsev TV surprise something genuine or some sort of spectacle. Remaining PARNAS candidates are sort of boring or compromised in public view, one way or another, sometimes by dirty means, or else by alleged corruption/foreign control, etc.


 * In September, 2015, schedules next revolution in Russia by November 5, 2017, on video. This is also sited in another recent video attempting to link him or PARNAS with Russian nationalists such as Demushkin  (and Ukrainian Right Sector types) . The latter video, along the lines that Russian Maidan is in the works, may have some basis to it, but also exaggerates just one unfavorable aspect making it appear as large as possible and out of broader context,  likely aiming to show in bad light PARNAS with Duma elections approaching, Sept. 18, 2016.  On the video, persons resembling Maltsev and Demushkin discuss joint plans, including 5.11.2017 revolution, which is to start by a nationalist march a day earlier (around 19:00 time stamp on the video). Demushkin denied having or discussing such plans with Maltsev answering  reporter question  (18:40), before we see, apparently, hidden camera recording of their meeting.
 * Noted: some things shown are likely illegal under very tight Russian laws; preparing a Maidan would be. People were having problems for less, often in indirect ways. (...Like elsewhere, worldwide...) Recordings could be made by police/security and given to journalists, apparently to affect elections instead of prosecution (more benefit this way at this time?).

Vyacheslav Maltsev was arrested on 13 Apr. in Saratov. It is said to be because of an investigation of violence against police at 26 March 2017 protest. Video of the arrest was filmed by his wife, before her phone was confiscated before a search was started in their apartment, in presence of witnesses brought there by police (the wife was demanding her witnesses or neighbors used). Maltsev was so critical of authorities, in effect calling for 'regime change' in Russia and giving a date, that patriotic opposition considered him a provocateur doing so with a blessing from authorities to herd radical protesters along (they say, they would not be permitted  any remotely close levels of criticism and direct action call). According to the report, Maltsev had a hear attack when transported to Moscow, and that there is no new information on his condition.--Resup (talk) 19:50, 13 April 2017 (UTC)

Petition to the White House to free political prisoners in Russia, created on June 1, 2017 (petition failed due to low signature count).

On the 100-th anniversary of the Russia's Great October Socialist Revolution (celebrated in November by the new calendar), Russian FSB arrests Maltsev supporters said to plan mass disturbances
 * Maltsev political program-Artpodgotovka group. The date of November 5, 2017 is highlighted.
 * --Resup (talk) 18:45, 3 November 2017 (UTC)

Alexey Navalnyi
MAJOR scoop of Alexey Navalnyi, accusing PM Dmitrii Medvedev in illicit ownership of real estate, wine, agriculture projects, yachts, managed by foundations which he claims are specially created to cover this up.
 * He is not 'Dimon', by Alexey Navalnyi, video, link to written version in video description. Estimated value of those properties is perhaps 1 bln USD (he counted about 70 bln rubles in combined donations by oligarchs and bank loans).
 * Dorenko, a famous pen & mouth for hire: there is no corruption in Russia at all. Corruption is only possible in capitalist system. In feudalism, some people subsistence just needs to be maintained. (And also: navalnyi is just prepares his election run).
 * 'In the eyes of a clown', Andrey Karaulov (wiki) 40 minutes long attempted video rebuttal. Main objections raised, footwear purchases, etc, had to pass security, not go via intermediary company; and that genuine prime minister estate would be protected from the air and not available for drone filming; plus attack on Navalnyi character and dealings. Overall, kind of fair game, in the sense that neither Navalnyi nor this rebuttal prove their main claims beyond doubt and is more to do with painting an opponent in unfavorable light with largely circumstantial information, for broad masses political consumption. With corruption being genuine serious problem, perhaps Navalnyi still got some edge in this videos mud slugging competition. Talking heads like Kurginyan, famous for attacking opolchenie from patriotic sort of angle, and for his theatrical experience, take a part here in attacking Navalnyi.
 * Official rebuttal: not known at this time, will be added when spotted. Possible rebuttals: (1) those are private properties owned by those foundations, as the documents show indeed (2) those are state properties (3) ...(etc), (so what?) ...(etc).
 * --Resup(talk)17:53, 4 March 2017(UTC)
 * 1 Apr. 2017. Peskov commented(Engl-full) on the investigation, along the lines that corruption is a serious problem but facts are transparent to services in charge and not to Navalnyi, and this is part of a populist political campaign. --Resup (talk) 12:42, 1 April 2017 (UTC)

Navalnyi was refused registration as a candidate in 2018 presidential elections, because of his prior criminal conviction (which he disputed).

Another protest march by Navalnyi (short video),(long video), elections-themed staging (chants of 'shame', 'strike!", etc). Navalnyi arrested, then released without a police report, after giving a word to show up for a hearing. Graham Phillips showed up to film, surrounded by Navalnyi supporters who shout 'shame', he throws some curses back, but all having some fun doing it and filming each other. Eventually, a bearded provocateur breaks Phillips video camera and escapes (report and video)--Resup (talk) 01:34, 29 January 2018 (UTC)

August, 2020
FBK director Ivan Zhdanov: transport police found (somewhere) a dangerous substance, which is dangerous not just for Navalnyi but also for others, and told the doctors in Omsk what the substance is. Doctors in Omsk say that no poison is found in Navalnyi's organism, and that there is a diagnosis which they provided to Navalnyi's wife. (Navalnyi's spokeswoman say those are symptoms, not diagnosis). Doctors said to be opposed to transfer Navalnyi to a German medical plane which arrived to Omsk. --Resup (talk) 09:33, 21 August 2020 (UTC)

Doctor Murakhovsky: Navalnyi's condition is unstable -critical, we are against transporting him. Chemicals not found in biological tissues. Chemical send for analysis is taken from skin or clothes, and is found to be common industrial chemical, present eg in plastic cups. “Today we have working diagnoses. The main one is carbohydrate dis-balance, that is, a metabolic disorder. --Resup (talk) 10:37, 21 August 2020 (UTC)

Substance found is 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate --Resup (talk) 13:48, 21 August 2020 (UTC)

Former FIA rep (company which sent the plane) talks about some rules and details of medical evacuations --Resup (talk) 12:41, 21 August 2020 (UTC)

It is said that Omsk doctors agreed to release Navalnyi from the hospital, under personal responsibility of his relatives, to be taken abroad on the waiting plane. Navalnyi's people are reporting some progress on the matter without giving details --Resup (talk) 16:10, 21 August 2020 (UTC)
 * Anatoly Kalinichenko, deputy chief physician of the Omsk emergency hospital No. 1. "We do not object to his transfer to another hospital, it will not happen overnight, it will happen today. This process [will be preceded by] many medical measures, and a number of legal formalities will be observed." --Resup (talk) 16:23, 21 August 2020 (UTC)

In early morning plane with Navalnyi left Omsk, and later arrived to a clinic in Germany (TASS- clinic arrival photo, shows capsule). A blog post on opposition "Echo Moskvy" publishes a non-politicized account of Boris Teplyh, an anesthesiologist sent to help with the treatment in Omsk. --Resup (talk) 13:31, 22 August 2020 (UTC)
 * In the follow up interview Boris Teplyh said that : his role was to compensate the symptoms. He is not a toxicologist, and that was the role of others involved. His team asked whether there are external factors to consider (like toxins); the answer was that nothing was found. He confirmed that atropine was administered twice, and said that correctness of dosage is something to consider, but it was felt that atropine does not improve the symptoms (or maybe make them worse), and further dosages were not administered. He is not sure whether colinsterase levels in blood were checked, and explained that his question in that area was whether there is anything at all on toxicological side which he needs to know; but he was told that nothing is found. He said that presently it is not clear what was found in Charite, and it is possible, in principle, that they see something that they were unable to see based on equipment and methodology available to them. He cannot say more as it is not known what is found by Charite.
 * First guest of the program said that atropine was given by the ambulance driver. --Resup (talk) 12:40, 25 August 2020 (UTC)

[https://www.mk.ru/incident/2020/08/21/otslezhen-ves-marshrut-navalnogo-pered-otravleniem-on-kupalsya.html The entire route of Navalny before the poisoning has been tracked. He was swimming] - Moskovskii Komsomolets, 22 August, 2020

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgE-DV-9z7E News about Navalny. Prigogine's threats. "Smart voting"] -Liubov Sobol, Navalnyi Live, YouTube, 27 August, 2020
 * Liubov Sobol attacks/criticizes Prigozhin; she has another court case where apparently he is suing her for calling him a bandit, not asking for monetary damages; Sobol repeats some grounds of her claim/past investigations/etc.
 * Kira Yarmysh: At the airport, Navalnyi's assistant did not bring him tea, he bought water for himself, tea was brought by a girl waiter (she does not blame her). She did not notice anything wrong prior to him having discomfort on the plane, leaving for bathroom, and collapsing in the kitchenette area nearby where stewards keep/prepare food. She said that before arrival to hospital ambulance medics and maybe a medic on a plane trying to help told her that it appears to be poisoning but he is hopefully going to be alright.


 * At Omsk clinic, she was told that poisoning is a very serious suspicion and they want to exclude other things first; and if she insists (she did), it must be reported to the police. Police was called and soon arrived.
 * Doctors promised test results in 2 hours; then another two hours; then this apparently did not materialize. Police first asked to search for some pills in Navalnyi's closes; apparently it was refused; later they said they will confiscate all his clothes; but Navalnyi's wife declined the request, apparently took them herself, saying it belongs to her as his wife. She has a number of other complaints and suspicions, critical of how it was handled, etc. --Resup (talk) 05:38, 28 August 2020 (UTC)

Russian Elections, 13 September 2020

 * Wikipedia
 * vybor-naroda.org: Navalnyi's supporters are running in local elections in Novosibirsk and Tomsk.
 * Smart Vote: Navalnyi's run website where those registered will receive recommendations whom to vote for, in order to have best chances against the leading party "United Russia". It is unclear how many are presently registered. The effect of this in 2019 is discussed in Wikipedia (estimated at 7%; while Nvalnyi's himself is quoted saying that "several hundred thousands" registered at his website). Apparently in elections in Khabarovsk, a number of Smart Vote-backed candidates won.

In earlier elections, pro-Western opposition was unable to agree on united candidate(s); in particular Yabloko did not back such attempts.

July 2020: some info-resources promoted the idea that "Smart Vote" project is illegal as it is backed by Navalnyi's FBK and other resources which has been listed as "foreign agents."

--Resup (talk) 07:03, 23 August 2020 (UTC)

Omsk clinic statements
Apparently they knew about low cholinesterase but has not found cholinesterase inhibitors (ie "toxin" which caused that) - if everything being said is to be believed. --Resup (talk) 23:27, 25 August 2020 (UTC)
 * Omsk doctors did not detect cholinesterase inhibitors in Navalny - TASS, August 24, 2020
 * '' Cholinesterase inhibitors, the detection of which in the blood of Alexei Navalny was announced by the Berlin clinic Charite, were not identified during his examination in Omsk.
 * ''Head of the acute poisoning department of the Omsk emergency hospital No. 1, the chief toxicologist of the Omsk region and the Siberian Federal District, Alexander Sabaev.
 * ''“Upon admission to the hospital, Alexei Navalny underwent studies on a wide range of narcotic, synthetic substances, psychodiletics and medicinal substances, including cholinesterase inhibitors. As stated earlier, we are ready to share with our German colleagues samples of the biomaterial of Alexei Navalny for their comprehensive study, "he said.
 * The Kremlin sees no reason for a criminal investigation into what happened to Navalny- TASS, August 25, 2020 (fuller version - Echo Moskvy).
 * Peskov: ''“The fact of lowered cholinesterase was established by our doctors in the first hours in the hospital in Omsk, and atropine, which the Germans talk about and which they are now doing to the patient, began to be administered in the first hour of the patient’s stay in intensive care,” said Peskov.
 * ''At the same time, a Kremlin spokesman noted that this is medical information. "We just called and asked the doctors what it is at all? None of us knows. A normal person does not know the word cholinesterase at all. Until yesterday, I also did not know what it is," he admitted.

Charite clinic

 * Statement by the Charité: Clinical findings indicate that Alexei Navalny was poisoned - August 24, 2020
 * ''Since the weekend, doctors from the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have been treating Alexei Navalny. The patient is in an intensive care unit and is still in an artificial coma. His health is serious, but there is currently no acute danger to his life.
 * ''The team of doctors examined the patient in detail after his arrival. The clinical findings indicate intoxication by a substance from the group of active substances called cholinesterase inhibitors. The specific substance is not yet known and a further wide-ranging analysis has been initiated. The effect of the toxin, ie the inhibition of cholinesterase in the organism, has been proven several times in independent laboratories.
 * ''According to the diagnosis, the patient is treated with the antidote atropine. The outcome of the disease remains uncertain and long-term consequences, especially in the area of ​​the nervous system, cannot be ruled out at this point in time.
 * ''The treating doctors are in close contact with Alexei Navalny's wife. In agreement with his wife, the Charité assumes that the public communication on the state of health is in his interest.

--Resup (talk) 14:49, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

"Clinical findings" is a poorly defined term. It can mean doctor's observations (with no or simple tools). It can perhaps mean results of a lab study but there are no details on that at all. Perhaps bending this a bit, or not, let's say he was examined by a doctor who found something like the stuff below. And it all made huge headlines, ahead of time, to be fully sorted years later. It is unclear whether this is indeed the case but it's not excluded. Also noted, those findings are similar to that of Verzilov (giving some weight towards simple methods). In his case it appears to be poisoning but details were never established (in his own version of the events)


 * Cholinesterase Inhibitors adverse clinical effects:

''A major concern when prescribing cholinesterase inhibitors or exposure to organophosphates is potentially developing a cholinergic crisis, also known as SLUDGE syndrome.

''SLUDGE is a mnemonic that stands for the following:

S: Salivation L: Lacrimation U: Urination D: Diaphoresis G: Gastrointestinal upset E: Emesis


 * medicinenet.com:

Some common side effects or adverse events of cholinesterase inhibitors are: Nausea. Vomiting. Diarrhea. Muscle cramps. Weight loss. Headache. Insomnia. Abnormal dreams.

--Resup (talk) 15:46, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

''The effect of the toxin, ie the inhibition of cholinesterase in the organism, has been proven several times in independent laboratories.

This is pretty ambiguous too, It can be read as that it is proven that such and such toxin inhibits cholinesterase (in "organism" in general). And yet they do not know exactly what the toxin is? This then does not look consistent, Or unclear how could they establish precisely what they claim to establish. Inhibition is supposedly something which happens in the organism (in vivo), how can they establish such effect in a lab (in vitro), yet not knowing what the toxin is ? Something does not work for me well in this description. --Resup (talk) 19:54, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

Do they mean that he has too high choline? (Why not to say so, and can it come about not because of a "toxin"?) Or acetylcholine (the latter may not go well with being in coma). --Resup (talk) 22:49, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

There is a standard test which measures cholinesterase concentration in blood; low level may mean intoxication by phosporoorganics but also has a host of other causes including some diseases, miorelaxants, etc --Resup (talk) 06:15, 25 August 2020 (UTC)

Vladimir "Novichok" Uglev comments to BBC here in Rus. , 17.15 time stamp. Another piece by the same man, here. --Resup (talk) 20:06, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

Valerii Soloviev: me too.

RT: “In Alexei Navalny case, a wide range of narcotic, synthetic substances, psychodileptics and medicinal substances, including cholinesterase inhibitors were investigated - the result was negative,” said Alexander Sabaev, chief toxicologist of the Omsk Region and the Siberian Federal District. --Resup (talk) 20:18, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

Anastasia Vasilieva is an ophthalmologist, activist and is said to be Navalnyi's "personal doctor", is apparently claiming that atropin was administered in Omsk clinic (I am not sure whether she was there, and if so when she arrived; and they tend to "over- emphasize".) Somebody is dark-humoring on Nivalin for Navalnyi --Resup (talk) 20:42, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

Charité press report 3, August 28, 2020
 * ''There has been some improvement in the symptoms caused by the inhibition of cholinesterase activity. Mr. Navalny continues to be treated in an intensive care unit, where he is being kept in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator. While his condition remains serious, there is no immediate danger to his life. However, due to the severity of the patient’s poisoning, it remains too early to gauge potential long-term effects.

SPIEGEL: Navalny’s healers ask German army about used poison – World -MBS News, August 28, 2020
 * An inquiry was also made to the British Center for Chemical and Biological Weapons in Porton Down and the Bellingcat platform, which investigated the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia in March 2018.
 * SPIEGEL reported a few days ago that German doctors have also sought information from Bulgarian colleagues who treated Emelian Gebrev after the assassination attempt on him in 2015, which is believed to be the work of Russian military intelligence officers and is suspected of being a nerve agent. from the group “Newbie”.

The inquiry from “Sharite” to the Bundeswehr is discreet, say “SPIEGEL”. It was sent to a high-security complex in Munich, where there is a pharmaceutical and toxicology laboratory. It employs Germany’s best specialists in poisoning and chemical weapons. But because the case is highly politicized, authorities refuse to confirm or deny that scientists in uniform are working on it.
 * The publication also states that the special capsule in which Navalny was transported from Russia to Germany was provided by the Bundeswehr. It has its own ventilation system and is used as insurance to prevent the introduction of a substance dangerous to the environment into the country.

Other patients of the same clinic
Petr Verzilov. Shown on a photo from the clinic here with ex-wife Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of the Pussy Riot.
 * What happened to Petr Verzilov. Chronology and versions - Media Zona, 20 September, 2018

Yushenko?' - a recent account as claimed by Oleg Tsarev (VK). Noted, most accounts talks about his treatment at another clinic, Rudolfinerhaus, in Austria; it is not clear whether Tsarev account is accurate in details, and I could not find report he quotes. But the gist of it is traced in the news, below.
 * Caution - danger! - Oleg Tsarev voiced sensational information about the German clinic to which Navalny was brought - Rusvesna, 22 August, 2020
 * Yushchenko has not provided blood for a second test in Ukraine. He took it only at the Charité clinic at the very beginning.
 * Vladimir Sivkovich: "Yushchenko's poisoning was falsified" - RIA, 9 and 19 April, 2018
 * Rada terminated investigation of Yushchenko's poisoning - Pravo (law) .ru, 13 April, 2010
 * 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) poisoning in Victor Yushchenko: identification and measurement of TCDD metabolites - The Lancet, 374, 2009. (Not the same clinic).
 * Rada refused to terminate the activities of the commission to investigate the poisoning of Yushchenko- Korrespondent.net (Ukraine), 16 December, 2009
 * Rada Commission demands to repeat Yushchenko's poisoning tests - Korrespondent.net (Ukraine), 24 November, 2009
 * Rada Commission Declares Yushchenko's Poisoning a Falsification - lenta.ru (Russian lightly pro-western opposition- leaning resource), 23 September, 2009
 * Operation "Dioxin"- Rossiiskaia Gazeta, 21 September, 2009
 * The mystery of Yushchenko's diagnosis Sensational confessions of the head of the commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine - Rossiiskaya Gazeta, 18 November, 2005
 * Posioning timeline - Kommersant, 14 December, 2004
 * Observation of an Extremely High Dioxin Level in a Human Serum Sample from Ukraine by Dr Calux, which was confirmed to be 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin by GC-HRMS” - Brouwer, A., Botschuiver, S., Veerhoek, D., Besselink, H.A., Hamm, S., Traag, W., Zimpfer, M., Organohalogen Compounds 67, 1705-1708 (2005) 25th International Symposium on Halogenated Environmental Organic Pollutants and POPs, Dioxin 2005, August 21-26, 2005, Toronto, Canada. (Not the same clinic).

--Resup (talk) 20:19, 22 August 2020 (UTC)

Cui bono?

 * Russia?
 * Alexandr Baunov, a journalist, Echo Moskvy, August 24, 2020
 * Navalny is an element, on the one hand, of domestic politics, and on the other, of a great geopolitical confrontation. Who is in charge of our internal politics? Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko - can we imagine, even for a moment, him ordering the murder of Navalny?  (Rhetoric question meaning a no).
 * '' If the task was to clearly cut off Navalny from the outside world, it would have been easier to jail him in 2013. Actually, he was already jailed in 2013. M. Myers― And they released the next morning. A. Baunov. The next day. At the request of the prosecutor's office. After that, he was helped to collect signatures for the mayoral elections in Moscow. Under...Volodin, who was then responsible for domestic politics, it was considered useful. And brutal repression against Navalny was considered harmful.
 * ''But there is still a big geopolitical confrontation. There are external enemies and Alexei Navalny is, of course, one of their tools. Firstly, Vladimir Putin himself deals with external enemies, and secondly, intelligence and counterintelligence. This is a different matter. This is a more dangerous story. And the oppositionist - he is considered as someone else's instrument, an instrument of external enemies.

Belarus events should unexpected strength of protests. That could be seen as dangerous, security/stability -wise, to repeat in Russia, with local elections providing some upcoming opportunity, even as domestic policies were to ignore or talk down the opposition, and to allow its participation, in a managed way.


 * The West?

"Russian interference" is in danger of collapsing in the public space prior to November, at least in one version of the events. A substitute may be needed for mass perception, as well as a tool to keep geopolitical pressure on Russia, and keep exploiting internal difficulties such policies create

--Resup (talk) 10:51, 26 August 2020 (UTC)

External comments

 * Evgenii Prigozhin, August 26, 2020
 * Prigozhin- affiliated company, "Moscow Pupil", won a court judgment against Navalnyi's FBK, with financial penalties which forced FBK's announced closure. Prigozhin offered to pay off this debt, which was declined. After Navalnyi's hospitalization, Prigozhin reportedly offered to cover costs of Navalnyi's treatment in Russia; later announced that he buys off "Moscow Pupil" debt so that from now on Navalnyi and FBK's Liubov Sobol' will have to deal with himself.
 * In follow-up comments here, he first tries to place the blame on the West on Navalnyi himself. He then chooses to make the comment below:
 * ''Many questions come up, what will I do next in relation to FBK. I answer immediately as fully as possible to close this topic. I really hope that Navalny will stay alive. Otherwise, there will be no one to "cut off the meat piece by piece." We will agree with Liuba Sobol', although some suggest taking her into sexual slavery)). Regarding FBK, of course, I will take all legal actions during which the world will see how Navalny and his hangers-on obtained their information, how they distorted and falsified it. And also who and when was the customer of his pseudo-investigations, including his Western masters. I can separately say that recently a lot of information about the illegal activities of FBK has been sent to the mail of the Concord company press service. "
 * Pro-Western opposition noticed (eg here and elsewhere).

This is apparently playing off Shakespearean "pound of flesh" and trying to be humorous, but not everybody is amused.

last updated: --Resup (talk) 10:40, 27 August 2020 (UTC)

Protest Marches
26 March. Navalnyi's anti-corruption foundation organised country-wide anti-corruption protests, as a follow-up to its recent Medvedev investigation. Meetings were not officially approved but went ahead regardless. Protests were peaceful, in the form of a walk around. In central Moscow, police asserted control pushing the crowd away from Pushkin square and making arrests, with count said to be in hundreds; Navalnyi was arrested, too (photo).
 * Reports: Rusvesna; Newsru.
 * Live feed, multi-city (police at-the-doors mentioned, shows up with a dog at a broadcasting studio; the feed is yet alive long after that...)
 * Navalnyi believes that Russian Constitutional court decided that authorities have to offer an alternative venue for meetings or else they are assumed to approve the venue requested by organizers (federal law on meetings stipulated notification in due time; constitution says it's a right).  On 24 March, Moscow prosecutor office issued a warning that meeting is not approved, alternative venue offered and rejected. Meetings were approved in 24 cities out of announced 100.
 * Video from Makhachkala, Dagestan. Protesters cite constitutional court decision (above) saying they have right to protest, told back that they violate law (along the lines of not ensuring all safety measures, or unspecified) and may be arrested, and given there rights to later challenge arrest, be represented, etc. Several arrests made after such verbal exchanges. (One of those arrested, Olga Tochenaya).
 * --Resup (talk) 13:49, 26 March 2017 (UTC)

29 Apr. 2017. Khodorkovsky's 'Open Russia' organised country-wide anti-Putin protest march, #надоел (approx. sick-and-tired, Rus.) live feed; one of the hosts is opposition postergirl Marya Baronova, + Open Russia chairman Alexander Soloviev;
 * those two were later seen leaving 'reception of the President of the Russian Federation in Moscow' office after handling in their letters in person and receiving a receipt

Another girl is a host connecting from studio to feeds from various localities/participants. Protest was not allowed in Moscow and some cities, allowed in some other cities. Protesters do not (typically) have slogans or banners (except some tricolor Russian flags), but write letters to the the President telling what is that they are sick-and-tired of. There were several arrests (eg Cheboksary).
 * It is said (towards the end of the feed) that up to 100 people were arrested in St. Petersburg. Arrests were reported in Kazan

Offices officially accepting such letters are (mostly) closed, in Moscow --barricaded with a fence and heavy road equipment. Authorities ask not to take part in protests, (in Moscow in particular), 'as provocations are possible'.

Simultaneously, a 'patriotic' sort meeting is planned in October field, Moscow, organised by Yurii Boldarev, and called 'русский марш протеста' ('Russians protest march', of 'national-patriots'). (Reports of NOD / anti-Maidan, and some police or internal troops, having some sort of gatherings, so far without any significant clashes). Strelkov's folks stay away from both meetings, mostly to stay clear of the first event.

So far, peaceful, with no major disruptions or violence.


 * --Resup (talk) 10:16, 29 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Police estimates number of participants at 250 in Moscow, 100 in St. Petersburg, few dozens in other cities (Rusvesna)(Interfax).

12 June 2017. On the day of Russia, country-wide anti-corruption protest marches. Navalnyi arrested in his home already (administrative arrest, 30 days). Overall peaceful, but arrests in Moscow and St. Petersburg, said to be in 100's. Live stream
 * According to Navalnyi, sound and stage technicians were pressured not to work for them on that particular day in that particular approved for the march location in Moscow, Sakharov prospect. Navalnyi issued an appeal to his followers to come to Tverskaya street instead, ---but that was not an approved location.

5 May, 2018 Navalnyi called for a non-sanctioned meeting 'he is not a Tsar to us'. Clashes on Pushkin square, Moscow  between Navalnyi supporters and opponents reported, some Cossacks and OMON 'wounded', Navalnyi arrested

Grass-root protests
Farmers from rich agricultural region of Kuban attempted a march on Moscow driving their tractors all the way. They protest that land was unfairly taken from them using machinations with land law. Some big rig drivers joined them, protesting tracking and payment system 'Platon' (the latter dispute is over a year old). Protest was blocked in Rostov region, after farmers met with assistant presidential representative for Southern Federal District and assistant governor of Krasnodar region, but refused to stop the protest, as the issue was not resolved since they protested half a year ago. Farmers were detained, driven back, fined, on the grounds that their protest was not properly authorized. -Kommersant.ru, 23 Aug, 2016.

Sept. 7, 2016. Two protesters picketing during Medvedev visit were detained in Buryatia. Their posters mock some awkward commentary by Medvedev which went viral on social media. First poster: "No money. (But) we keep up. The mood is bad" (following Medvedev comments to Crimea pensioners on pension indexation (briefly)  no money, but you keep up, all the best to you all). (Eventually it was decided to pay pensioners a lump sump instead of indexation to counter inflation, with indexation to follow later). Second poster, "Quit school to do business. Burned. Thank you", following Medvedev recommendation to teachers not happy with their salaries (compared to those of policemen, etc), to earn money in business. (At some point in summer of 2016 there were rumors that to raise salaries to some academics, others will have to be fired, said to be on agenda of the government. Those rumors were quickly denied).

Truckers (дальнобойщики) protests
1 Apr. 2017. There are protests against lorries tracking and toll payment system 'Platon'. It was introduced to collect toll money, and in part to cover costs of producing chips. Truckers not happy with payments, and some glitches; coverage of protests moved it from purely economic to somewhat political issue, with other opposition jumping in. Here is latest video, with national guard surrounding protesting truckers in Manas, Dagestan. Around 600 truckers and 100 police, according to video description.

Russian bc?
An article by Alexey Zotiev published on Cassad introduces bc to those unconverted. In particular, makes this update: ..recently, "Ruslan Leviev, a programmer from Navalnyi anti-corruption foundation has joined this team. This  'expert', hailing from Surgut, and recently moved to Moscow, without leaving his apartment, is telling to the whole world some tall tales about, as he claims, soldiers of a Russian GRU unit number 16, killed in Ukraine. This military burial sites hunter is publishing his  sensationalized discoveries on bc and his livejournal page...(etc)... "  (well, Navalnyi said a number of things, good, bad, and indifferent,  "Forward, rams! (aka Forward, Idiots!) was one of his saying--hope this is not like that this time around...Anyway, some people are born to be in opposition, maybe if they are placed in the West, they will join us, and not bc's. And the same goes with the brown nosing of course--Resup (talk) 17:58, 22 August 2015 (UTC)
 * Leviev was in a group of those who launched a challenge in the Russian supreme court to the President order (28.5.15)  to make secret MoD losses "in peaceful times when special operations are conducted"; violators may be charged under article 283 of the criminal code (article) (commentary). Denies a serious involvement with Navalnyi foundation-says he just did some websites for them. Demands a salary from Belingcat after Cassad publication (twitter post). --Resup (talk) 05:08, 23 August 2015 (UTC)

Other
Anatolii Ermolin is a retired lieutenant colonel of an elite FSB (formerly KGB) spetznaz "Vympel", turned commentator/journalist. Here is his appeal warning on grave dangers of spreading hatred, addressed to the president of Russia, and written shortly after Nemtsov murder. Lately speaks against war-mongering propaganda.

ECHR
January 5, 2016 Frumkin vs Russia (On 6 May 2012 Frumkin was arrested during the dispersal of a political rally at Bolotnaya Square in Moscow ...  25, 000 award to Frumkin.
 * link    http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{"languageisocode":["ENG"],"documentcollectionid2":["JUDGMENTS"],"itemid":["001-159762"]}
 * Russia recently said that it does not necessarily have to follow ECHR; it remains to be seen how this will play out. Changes to the supreme court law  Chairman of the constitutional committee of the Russian Federation Council explanation

Security and Legal Matters

 * 'Secret training of National Guard, Moscow region, 7 April 2016'. Video shows training of Russian National Guard, the newly formed structure based on MOI interior troops (170 thousand interior troops, 200 thousand security guards, 30 thousand OMON and SOBR,  Victor Zotov is the chief), according to captions. It was posted by 'Open Russia' (Khodorkovskii), and appeared in both 'opposition' and 'patriotic' media such as comments sections of Rusvesna and on Cassad blog. (Factually, all trucks have 'police' markings on them).
 * Another video cut, to a different music
 * A practical illustration: video of OMON making arrests, Gypsy protests and disturbances, village of Plekhanovo, around March 17, 2016 . (They built housing in the village without permits, allegedly illegally hooked up to a gas pipe, supply to the village itself was interrupted; when repair crews arrives some clashes occurred, OMON was called in, leading to arrests).
 * Interior troops indeed took part in two wars in Chechnya, as well as regular army. That was a different sort of thing, much more violent. National Guard now for something like this? Seems more appropriate for regular army and spetnaz, not for ex-MOI and security guards...


 * Yarovaia-Ozerov (1) (2) draft laws on 'additional measures for counter-terrorism and public safety' were introduced in Duma.
 * The law was criticized by presidential council for civil society and by the opposition. In particular, the law will penalize for 'assisting extremist activity', which may turn out to include  a broad range of activities.

Maidan in Moscow

 * Як розганяли мітинг у Москві - YouTube video, Радіо Свобода Україна, July 27, 2019
 * МВС Росії: у Москві затримали понад тисячу людей - Радіо Свобода, July 27/29, 2019
 * Росія: затриманого опозиціонера Навального госпіталізували з «дивною алергією» - Радіо Свобода, 28 Липень 2019
 * Shenderovich (in Russ.) - "Special Opinion", youtube, August 1, 2019
 * Нові протести в Москві - 112.ua, 3 серпня, 2019
 * 13:52 Телеканал "Дождь" повідомляє, що силовики витягли з таксі незареєстрованого кандидата до Мосміськдуми Любов Соболь
 * 15:34 Слідчий комітет РФ відкрив кримінальну справу про відмивання грошей на Фонд боротьби з корупцією Олексія Навального.
 * 15:55 "ОВД-Инфо": затримано мінімум 194 людини. Серед затриманих 21 неповнолітній, 6 журналістів, 6 побитих і 2 іноземці.
 * 10 Aug, 2019. Liubov Sobol busted by police prior to an approved meeting, live-streaming her door break-in on periscope. MoI claimed that they were contacted by organizers who informed that Sobol and her allies plans some provocations
 * Мітинги за вільні вибори в Росії: У Москві почали розгін демонстрації, є затримані - 112.ua, August 10, 2019


 * Opinions
 * Mikhail Weller - Unknown people will seize power -YouTube, July 16, 2019
 * About arrest of Egor Zhukov, according to his campaign headquarters chief (1, 2), August 2, 2019, with linked video by Egor Zhukov, August 1, 2019
 * Alexey Venedictov, August 3, 2019
 * ''Look, he is moving the (protseters) column from the roadway to the pedestrian part. That is, he instills order to the disorder. ”

[http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_10699/cdfbaa9aeaf8b47695af18e41433e4e3f5f4be5f/ Art. 212] of the Russian criminal code.

[http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_10699/c10532ab76df5c84c18ee550a79b1fc8cb8449b2/ Art. 280] of the Russian criminal code.


 * Egor Zhukov detention is changed from SIZO to home arrest, and the mass disorders charge has been withdrawn, however the charge under article 280 part 2 (calling for extremist activities via the Internet) is still pending (TASS, 3 Sep. 2019).

Another Zhukov (relationship unknown or none), Kirill Zhukov, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for physically provoking OMON (video).

Communists (CPRF) march in central Moscow (featuring Ziuganov, Grudinin, a singer performing on stage and Ziuganov making body moves to the tune, etc) was covered and live-streamed in Russian sources. Protest was not large, but had large number of red flags. Many protesters were quite old. Protest has some coverage in Western media, but often with extra bits diverting attention elsewhere, for example, violence on previous protest marches, single pickets (of well-known use, eg Strelkov's and friends single person picket against Kuril islands deal with Japan, but with single pickets not well-visible in Russian media on this particular day; a rare Russian coverage here).
 * Some differences in Russian and Western protest coverage
 * 17 Aug. 2019

Some Russian commenters did call the CPRF spoilers, as they are the 'official' opposition, represented in Duma and thus presumably in quite cozy relations with other main parties.

Some previous Russian coverage drew attention (and exploited a bit politically) the fact that permits are also required for Western protests (those on public property, affecting traffic and business, etc), sample: 1, 2.

There has been live streaming of the previous banned marches/banned extensions of allowed marches featuring live commentary by journos in studio from a pro-government perspective (expressing discontent with violations of public order, asking for violators to be 'packed', etc). Various modes of live-streaming coverage here, with the top video with pro-government commentary. --Resup (talk) 06:59, 18 August 2019 (UTC) Meanwhile, Mitrokhin of "Yabloko" party succeeded in getting himself a registered candidate status, by going to court ... ("Yabloko" is a liberal opposition party which habitually refuses efforts to nominate unified opposition candidate)... --Resup (talk) 07:41, 18 August 2019 (UTC)