Russian Nationalists Attack History Awards Program for Students

A group of Russian nationalists attacked a history awards ceremony for high school students in Moscow on April 28, spraying disinfectant and throwing eggs at participants. They described the event as a foreign-backed effort to rewrite Russian history. About 50 students from across Russia attended the ceremony to receive awards for essays on 20th-century Russian history, organized by the reputable Memorial association. Organizers and attendees reported encountering around 20 nationalist activists, some dressed in military-style uniforms, upon arriving at the venue. According to these individuals, the participants ignored the Soviet Union's role in defeating Nazi Germany during World War II. Nationalist protesters sprayed several attendees with Zelyonka, a common disinfectant from the Soviet era that leaves thick green stains. One of the victims was Lyudmila Ulitskaya, a famous Russian writer who chaired the jury for the competition. Meduza, a Russian news website, quoted one of the attackers as saying, 'Our goal is to exorcise the demons from these Jewish teenagers. These kids have been brainwashed and need medical help.' Irina Yasnina, a prominent liberal activist and jury member, stated, 'The attackers shouted that the participants in this program are whores, not teachers.' Nationalist activists and state-affiliated media claim that the program serves as a tool to promote the 'evil goals' of its sponsors, including billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov and several German non-profit organizations, such as the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Nationalist protesters gathered outside the event holding placards that read, 'We do not need a history bought with foreign money' and 'Stop distorting history.' They directly referenced the widespread purges during Stalin's era, chanting, 'Purging, purging, purging.' The Russian news agency Interfax reported that police arrested one protester for 'disrupting public order.' Memorial is the oldest and most recognized human rights organization in Russia, encompassing over 50 different entities across the country. Founded in 1989, inspired by dissident scientist Andrei Sakharov and Nobel laureate, its main activities include exposing the repressions of the Soviet era and fighting discrimination in contemporary Russia. Russian nationalists have consistently accused Memorial of attempting to distort the history of the Soviet Union, including its significant role in defeating Nazi Germany. Last year, the Russian Ministry of Justice listed the human rights defense section of this organization among 'foreign agents' and accused it of attempting to change the regime due to its emphasis on stopping Russia's military aggression in Ukraine. The attack on this program, particularly because the participants were students, has drawn criticism on Russian social media. Ksenia Larnya, a prominent journalist and jury member, wrote, 'As a citizen of Moscow, I ask for forgiveness from the students for what happened.' 'For many of them, traveling to Moscow is an important occasion. What happened that day was not the true face of Moscow's people. This was a filth that would surface sooner or later and was a baptism for you like purification by fire.'