Russian Action Committee

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Russian Action Committee
Российский комитет действия
AbbreviationRAC (English)
RKD (Russian)
LeaderGarry Kasparov
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
FoundersGarry Kasparov
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Sergei Aleksashenko
Dmitry Gudkov
Sergei Guriev
Boris Zimin
Yulia Latynina
Ivan Tyutrin
Evgeny Chichvarkin
Founded20 May 2022 (2022-05-20)
HeadquartersVilnius, Lithuania
IdeologyLiberal democracy
Anti-Putinism
Anti-war
Political positionBig tent
National affiliationFree Russia Forum
Colours    White-blue-white flag
Party flag
Website
ruskd.com

The Russian Action Committee (RAC; Russian: Российский комитет действия, romanizedRossiyskiy komitet deystviya, RKD) is a coalition movement of the Russian opposition in exile, formed on May 20, 2022 at the II Anti-War Conference of the Free Russia Forum in Vilnius, Lithuania.[1] The movement was co-founded by Garry Kasparov, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky.[2][3]

Garry Kasparov listed three main postulates of the RKD program document: recognition that the attack on Ukraine is a criminal war; that it was unleashed by the illegitimate regime of Vladimir Putin; and recognition of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea and Donbas.[4][5]

Representatives of the RKD advocate for the creation of the so-called "good Russian" passport for those who oppose the war with Ukraine.[6]

In August 2022, the Committee stated that it was organizing a meeting titled "Congress of Free Russia" with the participation of Western politicians.[7] The organizers of the event say "the task of the Congress is to unite the efforts of the most active anti-war part of Russian society and the free Western world in support of Ukraine and opposition to the regime of Vladimir Putin."[8] The Congress was held from 31 August to 2 September under the slogan "Be brave like Ukraine".[9] The congress was attended by Viktor Shenderovich, Dmitry Bykov, Gennady Gudkov, Vladislav Inozemtsev, Yevgeny Kiselyov, as well as the Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas of Lithuania Žygimantas Pavilionis and ex-Prime Minister of Georgia Vano Merabishvili. The Congress concluded with the words "We will continue to invite and offer asylum to all who fight for freedom and help Ukraine win."[10]

In late 2023, the Russian Action Committee was designated as "undesirable" in Russia.[11]

Blacklisting of Ponomarev[edit]

On 21 August 2022, exiled former parliamentarian Ilya Ponomarev read aloud a manifesto of the National Republican Army (NRA) calling for armed action against the regime. The manifesto was released following the killing of Darya Dugina, for which the NRA also issued a claim of responsibility. Ponomarev endorsed both the assassination and the manifesto.[12][13][14][15] The following day, the Russian Action Committee blacklisted Ponomarev from attending the Free Russia Congress on grounds that he had "called for terrorist attacks on Russian territory". The Committee's statement also implied that Dugina was a "civilian" who do not take part in the armed confrontation, and condemned denunciations of Alexandr Dugin following the attack as "a demonstrative rejection of normal human empathy for the families of the victims".[16][17]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "В Вильнюсе объявили о создании «Российского комитета действия»" [Vilnius announced the creation of the "Russian Action Committee"]. Эхо Кавказа (in Russian). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-26. В Вильнюсе проходит II конференция Российского антивоенного комитета. Эта организация была создана видными представителями российской эмиграции после начала войны в Украине. Они осуждают режим Владимира Путина, обвиняя его в развязывании войны, и выступают в поддержку Украины. [Vilnius is hosting the II Conference of the Russian Anti-War Committee. This organization was created by prominent representatives of the Russian emigration after the start of the war in Ukraine. They condemn the regime of Vladimir Putin, accusing him of unleashing a war, and speak out in support of Ukraine.]
  2. ^ "Минюст признал "иноагентами" Гарри Каспарова и Михаила Ходорковского" [The Ministry of Justice recognized Garry Kasparov and Mikhail Khodorkovsky as "foreign agents"]. Настоящее Время (in Russian). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-26.
  3. ^ Kseniya Kirillova (30 June 2022). "Putin's War Splinters the Russian Opposition". CEPA (Center for European Policy Analysis). Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Activatica". Activatica (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-08-26.
  5. ^ "За объединение антивоенных и антидиктаторских сил" [For the unification of anti-war and anti-dictatorial forces]. www.kasparov.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-08-26.
  6. ^ Giorgobiani, Natia (2022-05-23). "Garry Kasparov on the "good Russian" document: "If a person remains in Russia, he bears a share of personal responsibility for the war"". Perild. Retrieved 2022-08-26.
  7. ^ "The Congress of Free Russia". Комитет действия (in Russian and English). Retrieved 2022-08-26.
  8. ^ "В Вильнюсе открылся Конгресс свободной России – DW – 31.08.2022". dw.com (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  9. ^ В Вильнюсе прошел «Конгресс свободной России». Новости. Первый канал (in Russian), retrieved 2022-09-25
  10. ^ "Конгресс Свободной России подводит итоги". ГОЛОС АМЕРИКИ (in Russian). 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  11. ^ "Минюст внес в реестр «нежелательных» две новые организации". OVD-Info (in Russian). December 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Илья Пономарев: «Ответственность за взрыв автомобиля Дарьи Дугиной взяла на себя "Национальная республиканская армия"»" [Ilya Ponomarev: "The "National Republican Army" takes responsibility for the explosion of Darya Dugina's car"]. February Morning (Russian: Утро Февраля) (in Russian). 2022-08-21. Archived from the original on 2022-08-21. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  13. ^ "ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕ НАЦИОНАЛЬНОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКАНСКОЙ АРМИИ (НРА) ОТ 21.08.2022" [STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN ARMY (NRA) DATED 08/21/2022]. Rospartizan Russian: Роспартизан (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2022-08-21. Retrieved 2022-08-21 – via Telegram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. ^ "В РОССИИ СОЗДАНА НАЦИОНАЛЬНАЯ РЕСПУБЛИКАНСКАЯ АРМИЯ, ОСУЩЕСТВИВШАЯ ПОКУШЕНИЕ НА ДУГИНА" [NATIONAL REPUBLICAN ARMY IS ESTABLISHED IN RUSSIA, RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF DUGIN]. YouTube (in Russian). February Morning (Russian: Утро Февраля). 2022-08-21. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  15. ^ "Утро Февраля" [February Morning]. youtube.com. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  16. ^ "Заявление Российского комитета действия от 22 августа 2022 года" [Statement of the Russian Action Committee of August 22, 2022]. Комитет действия (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-08-26.
  17. ^ "Statement of the Russian Action Committee 22.08.2022". Russian Action Committee (in Russian and English). Archived from the original on 2022-08-23. Retrieved 2022-08-26.