A long standing New Years Eve tradition in Red Square is for Russia’s president to deliver an address at midnight. The address is broadcast throughout Russia on television and radio. More Russians will hear this address than any other speech delivered by the President during the year. This makes disrupting the event very attractive to dissidents. That may also explain why attending dissidents were quickly arrested last night.

Police detained dozens of anti-Kremlin activists, including an 82-year-old Soviet dissident dressed as Santa Claus’ female helper, at a New Year’s Eve rally on Moscow’s main shopping street Thursday.

Hundreds of riot police surrounded a Christmas tree in the centre of the city and arrested the opposition activists as they gathered to defend their right to peaceful protest. (Reuters)

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Anyone casually familiar with Russia is aware of often reported police corruption. Even Russian media occasionally reported on it in the time between the fall of communism and the Putin era. Since Putin came to power, the Russian media has become monolithic, almost like in Soviet times. The difference between now and the Soviet era is the internet. As long as there are honest cops in Russia, a tiny number of them will speak out. The internet will give those few a platform to reach millions. So much for control of the media.

Maj. Alexey Dymovsky, a disgruntled officer from the southern port city of Novorossiisk, started the trend with two YouTube pleas in which he said his bosses forced him to falsely report that unsolved cases had been cracked.

He also said he divorced twice because his wives could not cope with his long hours and low pay.

“I am fighting for the truth,” he said, directly addressing Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. “I am a bit scared to address you and the whole country … but I can’t do it any other way.”

Dymovsky’s postings got 700,000 hits by Monday—the day when he was fired and threatened with a lawsuit for slander. However, the Interior Ministry ordered an investigation into his allegations, and Dymovsky’s example quickly found followers.

By Thursday night, three more YouTube pleas decried abuses, trumped-up convictions and corruption.

In two separate clips, ex-deputy prosecutor Grigory Chekalin and former police Maj. Mikhail Yevseyev claimed two innocent men were sentenced to life in prison for a 2005 arson in the northwestern city of Ukhta that killed 25. Yevseyev also alleged Ukhta police fabricated charges against local businessmen in return for bribes from their rivals. (Breitbart)

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Russia’s government is facing two growing problems with political dissent and disaffected youth. Factions within the government are planning a Machiavellian solution. Arm brainwash and train he disaffected youth to be a militia and let them deal with dissent.

In its latest plan to counteract the country’s political opposition, the movement intends to bring together some 100,000 disaffected youths over three years, arm them with handguns, and let them loose across Russia as a supplement to more traditional law enforcement.

The Gazeta.ru online newspaper reported on the new initiative, and spoke with the project’s leader, Sergei Bokhan.

According to the publication, Nashi intends to create an All-Russian Association of Militias (VAD) before December 2009, with branches in a large number of Russian regions.  The group will build on the Volunteer Youth Militias (DMD) created by Nashi in 2005 to counteract protests staged by the opposition.

“We find kids, who are practically living on the streets,” Bokhan said, “who don’t know how to occupy themselves, and who don’t have money or interests.  We provide them with gyms, teach them combatant and competitive sports.  We work with the at-risk group, who would potentially break a bottle over someone’s head, or throw rocks through windows.” (The Other Russia)

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Christmas celebration in Russia is on the 7th of January (which corresponds to December 25 in the Julian Calendar). The tradition of celebrating Christmas has been revived since 1992, after decades of suppression by the communist government. It is centered on the Christmas Eve “Holy Supper”, which consists of twelve servings, one to honor each of Jesus’ apostles. The Russian traditions were largely kept alive by shifting some of them, including the visit by gift-giving “Grandfather Frost” and his “Snowmaiden”, to New Year’s Day. Many current Russian Christmas customs, including their Christmas tree, or “yolka”, were brought by Peter the Great, after his western travels in the late 17th century.

In Eastern Europe the tradition of Christmas includes Ded Moroz (”Grandfather Frost”). He is accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka (”Snowmaiden”). According to legend, he travels in a magical decorated sleigh drawn by reindeer, and delivers gifts to children. He is thought to descend more from Santa Claus than from Saint Nicholas.

Russian Christmas Music by the Barnya Ensemble

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Recently Russian President Mevedev proposed changing term limits for national elected offices to 6 years from four, with two consecutive terms permitted. Most memebrs of the Duma (Russia’s parlimetary body) seem only too eager to amend Russia’s constution to reflect these changes. Support is not unanimous among a vocal group that is not in power. Their views are represented here:

In today’s conditions, we categorically oppose discussing any possible changes to the Russian Constitution. Amendments like this can only be discussed when democracy is restored in the country. Today, when the citizens are numbed by unbridled government propaganda; when independent sources of information are inaccessible to the majority of the population; when the ruling “parliament” is appointed by the Executive Branch and independent politicians do not have the chance to get their ideas across to wide segments of the public; any discussions of amending the Constitution will resemble profanity and farce, and the amendments themselves will easily be dragged through in a way convenient for the ruling faction.

By voicing their intent to extend their own terms, the Russian authorities prove only one thing– that they are interested in nothing other than the effective usurpation of power in the country for an indeterminate period. This contradicts the goals of democratizing the country, and the return of Russia to the European path of development.

We are against turning Russia into a backwards, third-world authoritarian regime, where the rulers remain in power for life through different pretexts. The main purpose of “Solidarity,” the united democratic movement we are creating, is the unification of Russia’s citizens, for the sake of restoring democracy, order and lawfulness in the country. The founding congress of the group will take place on December 13, 2008.

We call on all Russians who value freedom to join with the Solidarity movement. [Solidarity] will fight against the illegal actions of the ruling junta, whose intention to change our Constitution is aimed at usurping power and perpetuating their rule, which is calamitous for Russia’s interests. (The Other Russia)

Today in Russian History

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Today is the Day of Militsiya (Police Day) in Russia

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Russian Fashion designer Valentin Yudashkin has created a new look for Russia’s militray, police and security forces.  RIA Novotsi published a collection of photos of a recent recent showing of the designs in Moscow’s GUM department store.

Today in Russian History

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