History
Bolshevik Revolution
The opposition to Bolsheviks was called the enemies of the people. Repression was conducted by the Cheka secret police and its successors. State repression led to incidents of popular resistance and the Soviet authorities suppressed such resistance with overwhelming military force and brutality. The number of the Red Terror's victims is at least 1.2 million.
Soviet Russia
Throughout the history of the Soviet Union, tens of millions of people suffered political repression, which was an instrument of the state. It culminated during the Stalin era, then declined but continued to exist during the "Khrushchev Thaw", followed by increased persecution of Soviet dissidents during the Brezhnev era, and it did not cease to exist until late in Mikhail Gorbachev's rule. 9-23 million Russians were killed during Communist Party rule from 1917 to 1987.
Putin's Presidency
Power in Russia’s authoritarian political system is concentrated in the hands of President Vladimir Putin. With loyalist security forces, a subservient judiciary, a controlled media environment, and a legislature consisting of a ruling party and pliable opposition factions, the Kremlin manipulates elections and suppresses genuine dissent.
Dissenter's March
The Dissenters' March was a series of Russian opposition protests started in 2006. The Dissenters' March rally was organized by The Other Russia, a broad umbrella group, including National Bolshevik Party, far-left Vanguard of Red Youth as well as liberals such as United Civil Front.
Strategy-31
Strategy-31 was a series of civic protests in support of the right to peaceful assembly in Russia guaranteed by Article 31 of the Russian Constitution. Since 31 July 2009, the protests were held in Moscow on Triumfalnaya Square on the 31st of every month with 31 days.
Protests
Starting from 5 December 2011, the day after the elections to the State Duma, there have been repeated massive political actions of Russian citizens who disagree with the outcome of these "elections". These rallies continued during presidential elections and afterwards.
Anti-war protests
In 2014, Russian opposition have held anti-war protests in opposition to the Russian intervention in Ukraine in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and Crimean crisis. The protests took place in Moscow on 15 March, a day before the Crimean referendum. The protests have been the largest in Russia since 2011.
Protests
On 26 March 2017, protests against alleged corruption in the Russian government took place simultaneously in many cities across the country. The protests began after the release of the film He Is Not Dimon to You by Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation.
Pension Protests
From July 2018, almost every weekend, protest rallies and demonstrations were organized against the planned retirement age hike. Such events occurred in nearly all major cities countrywide. These events were coordinated by all opposition parties with the leading role of the communists.
Protests
From July 2019, protest rallies for an access to 2019 Moscow City Duma election of independent candidates started in Moscow. The 20 July rally was the largest since 2012. The 27 July rally set a record in number of detainees and police violence. The 10 August rally had 50-60 thousand participants.
Khabarovsk Krai Protests
On 9 July 2020, the popular governor of the Khabarovsk Krai, Sergei Furgal, who defeated the candidate of Putin's United Russia party in elections two years ago, was arrested. Every day since 11 June, mass protests have been held in the Khabarovsk Krai in support of Furgal.
Protests
On 23 January 2021, protests across Russia were held in support of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was detained and then jailed after returning to Russia on 17 January following his poisoning. A few days before the protests, an investigation by Navalny was published, accusing Putin of corruption.
Election Protests
The 2021 Russian election protests, also known as the "For Fair Elections" protests, began in September 2021 due to alleged large-scale electoral fraud of the 2021 Russian legislative election.
Anti-war Protests
Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, protesters have used the white-blue-white flag as a symbol of opposition. On 17 March, Putin gave a speech in which he called opponents of the war "scum and traitors". More than 2,000 people were detained or fined by May 2022 under the laws prohibiting "fake" information about the military.