OPINION: Russian Opposition: Time to Step Up

In the absence of any indication from Russia that Russia’s war against Ukraine will end with Russia’s withdrawal, ending the war then becomes not the responsibility solely of Ukraine and Ukraine’s allies; the Russian opposition residing outside Russia must play a critical role, as well.

To do so, Russia’s opposition need to become a strong, united, and effective force capable of persuading ordinary Russians that it is time to lay down their weapons. They must challenge those who support the invasion of a peaceful country, explain why this aggression is wrong, reach those who are indifferent, explain the immorality of ignoring massive destruction and genocide being perpetrated by the current Russian government with the complicity of tens of millions of Russian citizens.

Many in the Russian opposition fail to confront these brutal realities and fail to contribute to efforts to end the war. While they may oppose Putin, they do not oppose the core idea of Russian imperialism.

Still others promote narratives that absolve Russians of responsibility, blame the West, led by the U.S., for the failure to stop the invasion, for “not standing up to Putin sooner,” rather than hold tens of millions of Russians accountable and demand they stop facilitating this war. Average Russians are portrayed as Putin’s victims, of which little can be expected.

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Most Russians continue to believe Ukraine to be inferior to Russia, that Ukraine should not exist as an independent nation. This is not the belief of a victim. Such a mindset is rooted in centuries of imperialistic Russian rhetoric that has imposed a narrative of Russia’s supposed greatness - culturally, politically, and historically - all the while systematically denying Ukraine its own identity and sovereignty.

While Russians may oppose the war because they do not want their sons to die, they do not oppose the premise of the war: the need to break Ukraine, to bring Ukraine to heel.

Russian rulers, whether imperial, Soviet, or modern, have promoted the idea of a "Great Russia" that mandates Ukraine as an inseparable part of Russia’s territory. Ukrainian culture, language, and history have been suppressed or appropriated, with Russia often portraying Ukraine merely as a regional variation of Russian identity, rather than accepting Ukrainians as a distinct people with their own rich heritage.

Ukrainian political autonomy has been undermined at every turn, from the tsarist era to Soviet policies that sought to erase national differences, and now includes modern Russian propaganda that denies Ukraine’s legitimacy as a state.

Ironically, while promoting imperialistic messages, leading Russian opposition figures, such as Yulia Navalnaya, reside safely in the West, benefit from the financial support of Western donors under the banner of "important work." And this is what raises concerns about her team’s true priorities.

 In an April 2024 TIME magazine interview, Navalnaya bluntly stated that her motivation is to seek revenge against Putin for her husband’s death rather than genuinely pursuing peace, justice, and establishing a ground game for meaningful and lasting reforms in Russia. She believes that the concept of revenge resonates strongly with the Russian people, more than the message that Russia must stop a brutally imperialistic war against Ukraine.

On the other hand, opposition leaders such as Garry Kasparov understand the core problem – imperialistic ideology – and strongly oppose Russia’s imperialism. He believes that to defeat Russia’s regime and change the mindset of the Russian people, Ukraine and the West should maintain a united front, support for Ukraine must increase visibly to apply continuous pressure on the Russian regime.

However, Kasparov too focuses on Russia’s leaders and dismisses the role of ordinary Russians in this war. Without basis he claims that only a small fraction of Russian citizens actively supports the war, while most Russians "simply do not care."

This fragmented approach within the opposition raises doubts about the opposition's ability to effectively challenge the Kremlin. And at present, almost no one in the Russian opposition is addressing issues such as these:

• Acknowledge Collective Responsibility. Shift away from labeling the war simply as "Putin's war" alone. Emphasize that all Russians who contribute to the war effort, whether directly or indirectly, share responsibility for the harm inflicted upon Ukrainians and their livelihood. This includes those executing orders and supporting the war in any capacity.
• Emphasize Morality and Humanity. Highlight the moral and ethical implications of participating in the war for financial gain. Stress that accepting contracts or engaging in actions that contribute to the war simply for monetary benefits is both immoral and wrong. Reinforce the need to prioritize human dignity and ethical principles over profit.
• Reject Western Blame-Shifting. Stop blaming Western countries and demanding that they or Ukraine should resolve the conflict. Emphasize that the responsibility for ending the war lies with Russia and its own leaders, not external actors.
• Stop Justifying War-Related Actions. Refrain from portraying Russian factory workers or soldiers involved in the conflict as victims. Recognize that producing ammunition or participating in military actions that harm Ukrainians makes one complicit, and that these roles should not be excused or minimized.
• Support Peaceful Resistance. Encourage and support non-violent forms of resistance against war. Begin with the Russian diaspora that has been passive and ignorant. Their unified voice can be effective, demonstrating to Russians inside Russia that they are not alone, to planting doubts about the purported causes of the war against Ukraine.
• Challenge Propaganda. Actively counter and debunk Russian state-sponsored propaganda that perpetuates misinformation about the war. Promote accurate and truthful information to build a more informed and critical public.

A unified and ethical approach is essential for the Russian opposition to effectively contribute to a resolution that upholds human dignity and promotes global security and stability. This requires overcoming internal divisions and concentrating on common goals aimed at ending the war and advancing peace.

The opposition must endorse meaningful, systemic, and permanent change in the imperial mindset since if Russian society remains entrenched in the same attitudes that enabled the current regime’s actions, then another conflict is all but guaranteed in Russia’s future.

The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.