Zürcher Nachrichten - Russia's exiled opposition hopes for rebirth with Berlin rally

EUR -
AED 3.826681
AFN 70.961758
ALL 98.138602
AMD 405.652886
ANG 1.877182
AOA 951.190259
ARS 1045.840133
AUD 1.602814
AWG 1.877897
AZN 1.775245
BAM 1.955573
BBD 2.102956
BDT 124.465544
BGN 1.955633
BHD 0.392554
BIF 3076.642669
BMD 1.041829
BND 1.403837
BOB 7.197164
BRL 6.043693
BSD 1.041579
BTN 87.914489
BWP 14.229347
BYN 3.408604
BYR 20419.848375
BZD 2.099456
CAD 1.456529
CDF 2991.091432
CHF 0.930994
CLF 0.037254
CLP 1018.83097
CNY 7.54601
CNH 7.562783
COP 4573.368835
CRC 530.538382
CUC 1.041829
CUP 27.608468
CVE 110.252195
CZK 25.343745
DJF 185.478458
DKK 7.457729
DOP 62.772709
DZD 139.891631
EGP 51.726992
ERN 15.627435
ETB 127.508391
FJD 2.371151
FKP 0.822333
GBP 0.831468
GEL 2.855018
GGP 0.822333
GHS 16.456089
GIP 0.822333
GMD 73.970229
GNF 8977.957272
GTQ 8.040066
GYD 217.904692
HKD 8.109446
HNL 26.320943
HRK 7.431636
HTG 136.72412
HUF 411.522823
IDR 16610.452733
ILS 3.863061
IMP 0.822333
INR 87.968134
IQD 1364.44153
IRR 43834.955489
ISK 145.523076
JEP 0.822333
JMD 165.930728
JOD 0.738765
JPY 161.242873
KES 134.884334
KGS 90.122166
KHR 4193.512952
KMF 492.268155
KPW 937.645704
KRW 1463.259646
KWD 0.320727
KYD 0.867999
KZT 520.059599
LAK 22878.342838
LBP 93271.167197
LKR 303.144792
LRD 187.998165
LSL 18.795317
LTL 3.076251
LVL 0.630192
LYD 5.086409
MAD 10.478083
MDL 18.997794
MGA 4861.435378
MKD 61.522855
MMK 3383.819949
MNT 3540.134882
MOP 8.35093
MRU 41.443187
MUR 48.810083
MVR 16.10707
MWK 1806.090235
MXN 21.281613
MYR 4.654932
MZN 66.583684
NAD 18.795317
NGN 1767.675143
NIO 38.325549
NOK 11.531328
NPR 140.663663
NZD 1.78585
OMR 0.401144
PAB 1.041579
PEN 3.949541
PGK 4.193513
PHP 61.404399
PKR 289.239507
PLN 4.337676
PYG 8131.055634
QAR 3.798559
RON 4.978071
RSD 117.038068
RUB 108.671879
RWF 1421.834864
SAR 3.911473
SBD 8.734231
SCR 14.266343
SDG 626.663972
SEK 11.501974
SGD 1.402931
SHP 0.822333
SLE 23.68116
SLL 21846.638123
SOS 595.230868
SRD 36.978718
STD 21563.75683
SVC 9.113941
SYP 2617.626467
SZL 18.788818
THB 35.922648
TJS 11.092512
TMT 3.646401
TND 3.309016
TOP 2.440072
TRY 36.018972
TTD 7.074178
TWD 33.946439
TZS 2770.578216
UAH 43.089995
UGX 3848.553017
USD 1.041829
UYU 44.294855
UZS 13362.448044
VES 48.506662
VND 26482.251319
VUV 123.688032
WST 2.90836
XAF 655.880824
XAG 0.033274
XAU 0.000384
XCD 2.815595
XDR 0.792308
XOF 655.880824
XPF 119.331742
YER 260.379151
ZAR 18.862746
ZMK 9377.71492
ZMW 28.772658
ZWL 335.468513
  • SCS

    0.2300

    13.27

    +1.73%

  • CMSC

    0.0320

    24.672

    +0.13%

  • RBGPF

    59.2400

    59.24

    +100%

  • BCC

    3.4200

    143.78

    +2.38%

  • RIO

    -0.2200

    62.35

    -0.35%

  • JRI

    -0.0200

    13.21

    -0.15%

  • RELX

    0.9900

    46.75

    +2.12%

  • AZN

    1.3700

    65.63

    +2.09%

  • NGG

    1.0296

    63.11

    +1.63%

  • CMSD

    0.0150

    24.46

    +0.06%

  • BTI

    0.4000

    37.38

    +1.07%

  • GSK

    0.2600

    33.96

    +0.77%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0100

    6.79

    -0.15%

  • VOD

    0.1323

    8.73

    +1.52%

  • BCE

    0.0900

    26.77

    +0.34%

  • BP

    0.2000

    29.72

    +0.67%

Russia's exiled opposition hopes for rebirth with Berlin rally
Russia's exiled opposition hopes for rebirth with Berlin rally / Photo: Natalia KOLESNIKOVA - AFP

Russia's exiled opposition hopes for rebirth with Berlin rally

Russia's opposition will stage a major anti-war, anti-Kremlin demonstration in Berlin this weekend, a vital test for a movement driven into exile by war and repression, and plagued by infighting.

Text size:

Unable to take to the streets at home, top opposition figures hope the rally in the German capital will refresh and inspire the scattered forces that oppose President Vladimir Putin, almost three years after he invaded Ukraine and escalated a massive crackdown on dissent inside Russia.

The rally is the first organised by three of the most high-profile opposition figures -- Yulia Navalnaya, Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza -- and comes at a critical time for the movement.

The death of Alexei Navalny in unclear circumstances in an Arctic prison in February deprived the anti-Putin campaigners of their obvious figurehead.

The release of Yashin and Kara-Murza -- who were serving years-long prison sentences for criticising the Ukraine offensive -- in a prisoner swap deal six months latter offered hope of reinvigoration.

But many supporters are frustrated at how entrenched Putin appears in power, as he ramps up repression and intensifies the invasion.

There is also criticism from Ukrainians who feel the Russian opposition has shown ambiguity over the invasion and could do more to put pressure on Putin.

The opposition has even been struck by accusations of violent infighting between rival factions.

- 'No plan' -

Navalnaya -- Navalny's widow -- said the rally aims to "show that a lot of Russians are against Putin and against the war".

A big turnout would show that there is "another Russia, that is not militaristic and is free".

But in an interview with the exiled Russian TV station Dozhd, she also admitted there was "no plan" among the opposition on how to end Putin's 24-year rule.

Yashin, a former Moscow city councillor, said the opposition had three main demands.

"The retreat of Russian troops from Ukraine, the trial of Vladimir Putin as a war criminal and the liberation of all political prisoners."

The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed the group as "monstrously detached from their country".

Russia has branded those who oppose what it calls the "special military operation" in Ukraine as traitors.

Since invading, it has ushered in a climate of fear that critics say scares Russians into silence.

Harsh censorship laws threaten decade-long prison sentences for criticising the campaign, while major independent news outlets have been outlawed and had their websites blocked.

Forced to operate from abroad in such circumstances, the opposition hopes some of the tens of thousands of Russians who have also gone into exile since 2022 will hit the streets of Berlin on Sunday.

The German capital has become a hub for Russians fleeing persecution.

Yashin said he wants to mobilise them around an "anti-war and anti-Putin" message -- to inspire compatriots back home.

Many see that as optimistic.

"All that the Russian opposition can do right now is to demonstrate that Russians are against the war and against Putin," said political scientist Abbas Gallyamov.

- 'Show we can work together' -

For many, the goals of the march are closer to home: reconciliation after months of bitter infighting.

In September, Navalny's associates accused an opposition faction backed by former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky of ordering a hammer attack on a key associate.

Last month, another prominent figure, Maxim Katz, accused Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation of helping two bankers accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars boost their reputations in the West.

The scandals showcased how divided the opposition had become in exile.

"It is very important to show that we can work together and consolidate different forces of the Russian anti-war movement," Kara-Murza told Dozhd earlier this month.

But questions also surround what that "Russian anti-war movement" stands for.

While forthright in opposing Putin and condemning the invasion, some opposition figures are more cautious on issues like military support to Kyiv or whether they want Ukraine to be victorious on the battlefield.

Navalnaya on Wednesday said that she was in favour of "the defeat of Vladimir Putin", but not the "defeat of my country".

Ahead of the march, Yashin even felt forced to push back against squabbles among supporters over what flags they should bring -- Russian, Ukrainian, both or neither.

"This is not about flags but about solidarity with political prisoners, rejection of an aggressive war and resistance to Putin's policies," he said on social media.

"Concentrate on the posters and the slogans. Let's become the voice of our compatriots who are being silenced in Russia."

D.Graf--NZN