What’s going on in Russian society has become increasingly opaque as a result of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, international isolation, and the impossibility of most independent journalism. But large numbers of anti-war Russians remain in the country. How do they express their opposition to the regime, and the war, despite ever-growing political repression and the risk of imprisonment?
One way to survive is to go ‘underground’. The goal of narrative podcast Russia Underground is to shed light on the artists, journalists, booksellers, actors, NGO workers, activists and others who are involved in the country’s secret resistance – from clandestine locations, improvised publications, and police raids to hidden corners of the internet. It involves both high-tech innovation, and the return of Soviet-era practices.
Russia Underground will take the listener on a journey through these pockets of freedom via interviews with organisers and participants, field recordings, and two experienced hosts: Nina Berezner, a political researcher, and Howard Amos, a journalist.
The mini-series consists of three episodes. The first provides an overview of ‘underground’ Russia, delving into the challenges faced by anti-war activists and artists. The second spotlights how media outlets continue to find ways of spreading independent information inside the country, and the third looks at Russia’s embattled LGBTQ+ community.
Our first episode is an introduction to what it means to be ‘underground’ in modern Russia, and the myriad of ways anti-war Russians can – and do – express their opposition to the fighting in Ukraine and the political direction taken by the Kremlin.
We meet a documentary filmmaker who has been shooting the reality of wartime Russia, and attend a screening of one of her recent films in Moscow. She is an advocate of so-called ‘partisan filmmaking’, and grapples with issues of risk and self-censorship. And she worries about what will happen if her films are successful and she gains a public profile – could she attract unwanted attention from the authorities?
In a city in the Ural Mountains region, we speak to a political activist and organiser who has been questioned by police, and whose events have been raided. And we attend an event in Moscow where people are writing letters to Russia’s political prisoners – an important way of expressing support. The organiser of the event’s own husband is currently in jail (for reading anti-war poems in public), and she talks about the experience of his arrest and trial.
The identities of some of our interviewees have been disguised for safety reasons.
The podcast is supported by EUobserver and is available on all major podcast platforms. Comment and rate the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and please recommend us to your friends and colleagues.
Nina Berezner is a political analyst and researcher with a focus on Russian domestic politics and civil society, international advocacy and human rights.
Howard Amos is a writer, journalist and ex-chief editor of independent outlet The Moscow Times. He’s reported for publications including Newsweek, The Guardian and Politico.
Nina Berezner is a political analyst and researcher with a focus on Russian domestic politics and civil society, international advocacy and human rights.
Howard Amos is a writer, journalist and ex-chief editor of independent outlet The Moscow Times. He’s reported for publications including Newsweek, The Guardian and Politico.