A new underground anti-war organization in Russia
The first edition of the anti-war newsletter ‘Female View’ was published in Russia on 12-May-2024. This is an underground newspaper – it is supposed to be distributed like DIY leaflets: to be printed out at home and to be put in mailboxes or just in public places. But the newspaper creators alert to be careful: ‘The editorial board tried to create content in a way that makes it impossible to regard articles as against the modern Russian laws about ‘discredit’ or ‘fakes’ about the army. However, everyone understands that now even 'prayer for peace' is enough in to attract unnecessary Russian authorities’ attention ’.
The newspaper is created by activists of the new anti-war initiative 'White Rose'. This female group has recently emerged (in the beginning of May) and was named in memory of the legendary group of anti-fascist students in Munich who protested against Hitler in 1942. One of those students (Alexander Shmorel – orthodox German with Russian roots) was canonized in 2012 by The Russian Orthodox Church as a holy martyr. Holy Alexander of Munich was mentioned several times this year in connection with the death of Alexey Navalny. There were people with the icon of Alexander of Munich and book about him were at the funeral of Navalny.
The first edition of the newsletter ‘Female View’ publishes a report about life in the front-line city of Belgorod, stories from people who survived the World War II and now became witnesses of the new war.
Members of ‘White Rose’ call to make this flour the new symbol of grief for the dead. On 09-May-2024 they performed their first action – they put white roses with notes at the memorials of the fallen in cities of Russia, Georgia and Belarus.