skeptic gale was slowly but surely the floor i'm phone flourishing again with help from the community learning to cope with change and to build a new future for themselves. i said, show up today nicole furnish will have more world news at the top of the, our documentary series that next looks at russia and the funds on opposition. the fruits innovation a good the learn shannon with the board winning offer is available and has never been sent to the

industry hooton's as popular as he claims blindly so afraid of his opponent, the prescribed slave by the end of the week. now the only fools his supporters and sent them onto the streets where they break the law. we didn't know what is the cause of its tabs. it is here, if they are victims, it's not a hooton's regime, but of their own stupidity slopes and they go with 2 of them. i worked in a research institution. i was forced to quit for this. i'm a political activist position the

inside me tutoring has been in power for more than 2 decades. massively, exacerbating divisions with in russian society. the one that says favorite tactics is refreshing. the effects of which are most noticeable in moscow. up to now, the metropolis of 12000000 people has flourished economically due to revenues from the oil and gas sector. moscow is held up as a prime example of russian success jeer, average wages are 3 times higher than the more rural regions of the nation. and unlike the rest of the country, the russian capital is also a hot bed of growing resistance to the tutoring regime, especially for people who are young and educated. the who

belongs to this opposition and what are their goals, the, what price our food is? critics willing to pay for greater justice and freedom. the the soviet flag disappeared from the roof of the kremlin and late 1991 and was replaced with the russian banner, the democracy and freedom to cold. the population appear to be united the after 70 years of communism, austerity, and state propaganda. people had hopes for

a better life. the what's happened to that? russian unity. it's a question i'm keen to explore. in the 19 ninety's, i worked as a journalist in moscow. what am i friends, was a local colleague, field to tell stories. he's now one of the most influential members and pollutants in our circle, the need again, for the 1st time in 30 years. hi, how's it going? some of you know, uh you, can you still speak russian? it's been a while, but i'll give it a go. if it got front on the board and ask it's september 2021. tolstoy,

a great grandson of the legendary writer hopes to win re election as a member of parliament. there is a long q squared or something at stake. that's democracy. people chewing to cast their votes. upon 1st glance, it looks comfortable to western elections. you can vote and the electoral lift, the cameras film, the top of attrition casting. as boat state media disseminate the image of a free and fair process. how many candidates are there for me? how many

123122 is besides pollutants united, russia party as a communist and a liberal opposition. but the authorities decide who's allowed to run according to the end your goals. the electoral commission has blocked the candidacy of 9 and people in national and local poles across the land. european council observers say this isn't democratic. meanwhile, supporters of georgia, tolstoy and pollutants party are confident of their victory menu mentions to your position is the minority of the presidential election, shows us what the majority thinks be related somebody since pull that this issue, that's just 5000 people out of 150000000 we're not supposed to go on in our country . criminals aren't allowed in politics. that's why the opposition doesn't have any candidates without free elections. it's difficult to gauge how many supporters

prudent actually has the that's why young moscow activists are trying to document the suspect, elect, or fraud. despite figuring the consequences olga works and marketing. but today she's posing as a supporter of the oppositional communist party, the he of her games tension supported. i'm not a member of the c p, but i'm pretending to be so i can be here as an election observer to give us more just a quote with this wouldn't hire this. this transparent box is one of thousands of mobile ballot boxes belonging to the russian, and the total commission of the they were introduced to make voting easier for the elderly. during the corona virus pandemic being hello,

we're from the like total commission, open the door, please upgrade specials to all those interested to know why millions of retired people are voting for police party despite their major pensions the, the name of the governing parties, candidate standing for re election is dimitri pets. off the the you mockery to patrol now? yes. where he so you can vote why you requested the visit. didn't you know you? yes. i remember you push it. i broke for i'll explain everything to you. oh, i've brought a pin. you can keep that margarita struggles to find

the name of the candidate just recommended to her. so i was so somebody think that what the service did the nursing home a give you the name of the new me. yes, i heard cuts off know great. why are you voting for him? there are plenty of other names on the list that you'll hear. i found him look, she's just voted for pest of the 2 election observer. older. this is clearly a set up elderly people are being systematically manipulated before elections, to choose candidates loyal to putting on you for that. that's my cellphone. so good bye. hopefully some cross, next few chosen can today. did you already decide so yeah, i'm a grown woman and i'm voting for pepsi from united. russia. so please don't folders

. i'll help you from other system guy. and usually i grew up in the soviet union, should i work with us? i was in the communist party back then with us, but now i trust the food in party. this isn't well, they go by you and you do more space. the thing that's cool. i don't think russia is divided or you by just a just small. that'd be through g. there's a minority of young people who didn't experience the soviet union. i see who were born to after it ended up got thought, i believe was beaten. the some of them have no appreciation for national russian identity. and that's on the d. but i see you, our mistake was to allow a generation of 20 to 30 year olds to mix western culture with russian values. and good idea is up and it's in the ceo, those pages teaching this, there's a whole lot

of cut them would assess these things differently. he was a comrade and friend of boys names off to a shot dead in front of the kremlin in 2015. vladimir has survived to poison attack themselves and as under permanent secret service surveillance and opportunity for them is guided when we meet, when i'm on the phone, i know that there's always a 3rd party listening on the line. obviously it's kind of virginia, the state television also always knows who everything and where i am going to attempt to stay on those nights can feel up here with cameras and broadcast. if i'm a to restore ease of what it means, you have to ask us what that can you believe say for example, and i think we're being funded by the west with, by just going to protect the keith of june, people share. and as i forget what conversion and i guess what, i should know, my wife started asking for all the money is going on. why she hasn't seen any of it yet. do it you know, send them j limits, especially if i don't hear that they're following or wiretapping me as i start

a new idea if it's psychological warfare, but after 2 attacks with me, i'm a co substances being tail doesn't scare me anymore. no. thank you much guy knew what's really going on in this country and who's behind it all started in addition to the assassination attempt on climate cut on woodside, there been numerous other points an attack. some members of the opposition since by my opponent became russian president in 2000. the most recent case wasn't so long ago. in august 2020 alexis of all and these are seriously on a flight from siberia to moscow, the doctors at a hospital and on putting a volunteer in an induced coma. and he was phone out to berlin. the

election. i've only made a statement in may 2024 months after being poisoned the city, the whitening. yeah, i mean, records is most of, i'm reading a lot of what's being written and basically in moscow, most quaker smoking, i'm surprised as the lens fusion is going to to prevents when i returned and you've got most of the moist. so wasn't able to judge zillow, so i wish that i'm feeling better today. i've decided to end my stay in germany by most of them. i'm with the i'm still young, my view of them. i'll arrive at moscow airport on the 17th of january of 2021. don't mind. that's the what's the soon you come and pick me up, but yeah, yeah, as long as most people are you sometimes the chairs, the older one are to respond and i'll just call to action. but her mother feared this could let her daughter in trouble. the

both are already familiar with russian prisons. in 2017, those mother and daughter were arrested at a demonstration in downtown moscow when our stories began to track down more harshly and protests. 6 this picture of the older became a symbol of the opposition, an innocent russian citizen, arrested for no reason. the on this day in january of 2021. the active list arrived at moscow airport with thousands of other supporters of involved the children that his plan had been diverted. the

protesters didn't hold back boots in you, provocative tour. alexio's only had been condemning corruption in russia for more than a decade. it's landed him in jail several times this time to face 2 and a half years in prison. and the former lawyer has faced more than the nerve agent attack. the opposition publication was arrested the moment here, right back and russia the it was all in vain board, or should i really he was still arrested but while he was in germany, the only prepared in outrages x was a, a grenade, just ready to be thrown the purpose of the video

to cause major problems for the kremlin and above all put in. so i mean, it was you'll see for yourself how much this man left luxury and money and that he's capable of. and the thing the investigation revealed, the russian presidents, megalomania whose families embezzling public funds and how his k g, b, our friends are lining their pockets. this doesn't align with the image of putting peddled by state media that of a modest and courageous head of state. the video which is just under 2 hours long has been doing more than $100000000.00 times on youtube. you'll see across the country, more and more disaffected russians rally behind the volume, the in protest against ramp and corruption. every request to demonstrate is blocked . this gives the authorities the power to intervene and arrest the participants.

dear citizens, we're here to ensure your safety. we have to disperse. this is no legal gathering. nevertheless, older and her sister tanya and meet a friend. they know elena from previous rally as thousands of people to take to the streets. many of them students peacefully expressing their opinions, but nonetheless, a great risk. the embrace and i've got a load of posters under my coat. i'm scared i might be detained with a yeah, but thanks to the n g o z, at least i know the law most doing this discreetly. so the slogans read, i'm not afraid. or we want freedom statements that wouldn't lead to jail in other

countries. just in case olga and her friend a lena stay on the sidelines. 0 mesh, that's what, but i had a bad feeling about this. don't you? with all the situation escalates? what does that? well, why are you taking her? without any warning? alina is seized by officers. tell me where you're taking her. to which station. what did you do? why are you taking her? you don't even know yourself because the we were just standing on the pavement. where are you taking my friend? is this a joke? listen to me. do you know why she's being arrested stock?

well, what's the reason why it's the police are clearly just following orders to detain as many demonstrators as possible in the chaos alina is able to let old a know which station she's being taken to the police station since the hello. yeah. really see me and hear me. okay. that's good enough to give to a few days later, the president takes questions from students. so in spite of his friendly, calm tone, that meant prudent issues, a clear warning to his critics. what i what she'll view is the current situation. thank you. well, i'm supposed to present give you your question. no, i'd like to make it clear once again,

let's go to that everyone has the right to free expression. i chew up the show that this can only happen within the existing legal framework. now, what i, what i'd say over the place was in your, anyone going a step too far in this regard? this isn't just acting culture productively system avoids that even dangerously. people still going to look at you now personally dangerous. in the more than 20 years, that pollutants been in power to successfully restricted the right of assembly. if to a more resumed critics meet, that's enough to be labeled as an illegal demonstration. luckily now by now you will pass along the encourages his supporters to take to the street and thereby break the law. and this is how they then get caught up on the wheels of justice. used to what did they must say name e cause yes, they are victims. that is the end of done, but not a hooton's regime is they claim to is quite easy and but of their own stupidity.

soaps in a group is to the arena, was released after one night and a so she faced so heavy fine and a child at the moment. she's not doing too well financially for activism has cost her her job and she's just trying to make ends meet the she's working in a dog looming parlor. she loves animals, but this job's a far cry from her actual expertise. yes, i'm an engineer in the midst all industry and i worked at and research institute. oh, i thought to them. yeah, they didn't find me, but i was forced to quit because of my political activism. almost died. yeah, that's correct. i help people who are arrested and i demonstrate the civil rights to my niece, and my bosses didn't like the fact that i was working for the position. i think one

day i was visited work by people from the f s. b, the domestic secret service. lena lost her trust in russian state media long ago. like many young people, she gets her information from independent new sites online. they paint a completely different picture of pollutants, russia bubbles findings of my grandparents watch, tv, old a. you can, you can use this, they can't conceive of the fact that what's being put in front of them might not be correct. and they think whatever's on tv is the truth. was no actual pulls up action, but it's initially they tried to change my political views to that we always ended up arguing nixon with these guys. i just avoid the subject because i know this discussion won't lead any way even when we 1st commuting. i mean,

my site gets crazy man. eastern, usually soviet times. no one believe the state propaganda. i'm ready to problem. the people even laughed at the headlines and the see piece, paper providence, you know, where to go down to the, to we're living in an empire full of lice except the whole machine runs much more efficiently and actually annual time. and i must confess, there's much more talents at play than in the past century. kremlin propaganda is still feeling. the majority of russians and influencing millions of people get those things talked about. there are also millions of people, especially the young who stopped believing putin's lies. i'm, we're seeing them at the demo. and i wanted to mention because older this information tactics no longer worked with this generation. the regime deployed the fear factor. alina is example shows that this isn't just about losing a job or paying a fine. in the worst case scenario, she could end up serving

a longer prison sentence. something that's already happened to many other demonstrators. on the 27th of july 2019, for example, tens of thousands marched to central moscow demanding that their candidate be allowed to run to the office of mayor. the police took a brutal approach, intervening and making random arrest me. there were scuffles with the police which also involved igor, the young man and the jean shorts and grey t shirt. later, authorities claimed that the car hit this police officer so hard. he could no longer stand up. as this footage clearly shows, it was a complete fabrication. nevertheless, hugo was sentenced to 3 years in prison together with many other demonstrators, the senior which was this

to us. he's got one more year to serve and show us both young and the boy for egos partner dasha the spell, the end of their shared dream jim contender then yansa disease can we were planning to start our own tourism business of a commercial show for an around vacationers, we even wanted to buy a mini van. what don't you so here are 1st posts about it and when they left her equal or was sentenced on next, he asked me to marry him. but i don't want to marry someone in a prison state media presented igor as a dangerous criminal. the public defamation of opposition members is typical of today's russia. family and friends are shocked at the har sentences headed down to innocent citizens. the task list of in the rochelle, which i was familiar to me, but we went for trade as terrible people's immunization. and then after the trial,

i received the threats from others saying they wanted to shoot a burn or hang me to the appointment of what the prior and it took to produce people who make and implement these laws. had a shred of honesty, justice, or sense just last week or would have been given a suspended sentence at the very most of them, most of them will fall. and then when they have an abortion, the decrease in holding ego is located in data abroad. formerly stolen grad, the, it's about 1000 kilometers from his home city of moscow, which means that few people can visit the video today, his lawyer has once again, made the long journey here to file an application for an early release at the relevant regional court. the,

the hearing appears comparable to western traditional systems. igor is able to give a statement via video link from prison. although he was eligible for parole months ago, state prosecutors oppose his release. the student knew that i see no reason why my client can be released early experience as i can't understand the prosecutor's reasoning or decent the lawyer's words fall on deaf ears. ego is good behavior, also counts for nothing. i request that the court released me on probation and i've done everything i've been told to do in prison, and i don't know what else i'm supposed to do.

it's no surprise that the court denies the motion that the judge is about to retire . he won't be taking any more risks of the questions you have and you need to understand how you become a judge in russia. in the 1st place. she said throwing you there. all former justice officials in the 1st 1015 years of their careers. they see her closely judges and prosecutors work together opinion also when they get to be judges themselves, they have to behave the same way on the point the lack of an independent judiciary. these many russians defenseless against the tyranny of the state. when he was still everyone in this country newest, but in 99 percent of criminal proceedings, the accused, despite of guilty official supreme court statistics said there's one equitable for

every $10000.00 verdicts from that even during the style in the uh, the numbers look better as opposed to a scrape, this machinery ever oppression. thousands of government critics have only one option. they have to clear russia by any means necessary. the 1000 kilometers to the west of most scout, estonian, lafayette, and miscellaneous, were the 1st republics to win independence after the collapse of the soviet union in 1991. the the baltics have remained a popular holiday destination for russians. there is a significant russian community in the region to this day. the

estonia, latvia in lithuania, joined the e u. n. nato in 2004 fears that moscow could reassert historical territorial claims have existed here for a long time. not just since the annexation of crimea in 2014, or the attack on large parts of ukraine in 2022. the many dissidents have relocated to bill news. the capital of miscellaneous, the russians are granted political asylum here, located not far from independence square. this former russian k g b building has been turned into a museum. reminder of soviet repression, the,

the cells are similar to those use back there and to incarcerate these 3 men for their political views. it triggers a vivid nightmarish memories from mikhail, dimitri and vladimir the, the, the, at $35.00 demetrius, the oldest of the 3 she had to pay for his political activism. was 14 years in prison. even though he didn't hurt anyone. he is a victim of the russian justice systems despotism. yes, most of your stuff doesn't look bad at all. i told you about the steel beds.

you can't sleep well on those because they're too short the infection, which one? it was exactly the same for me back then. but this has windows and you'll see the problem. you have all the i was tortured. are you up with me? and russia confessions are beaten out of you. but the advice is to believe it's because i knew it was nice and that you were being very nice day for me. of course, with the word from line. you don't, they're quite creative and hit you where it hurts the most. you know, they also use electricity from an old generator or it came up in august and how much in the price of the church was it applied? oh well who should i leave the union sent to the genitals normally. associates. it's sometimes to the face, bottom one with the sheets clicked full for the year at the mercy of their

ingenuity. sometimes they buy new orders and they know where it's most painful for new. and you know, if i purchased i to the years as well to say to year loops or cheek can produce footage was film with a hidden camera in a russian as and in the summer of 2017, the several guards are torturing a naked man. when it went to public, the film caused a scandal, but the perpetrators gone off with extremely lenient sentences. the capital one of the stuff when you are cuz i wanted to kill myself to end the torture is for example, when there's another guy slashed my throat of the house of the like to die out the as i filed down the tooth brush handle and rammed into my neck,

you were the fullest and i just thought if i was going to die and if at all, then it should at least be fast. okay, that's what she said in the dimitry was taken to hospital eventually he managed to escape abroad like so many others the it's estimated that since 2008, some 1800000 russians have left their homeland, including some of the nation's best mines. this is how does usually negative impact on the federations development for example, sooner gay is a decision who now lives in bill news. he's an item network specialist like i'd or

he had to flee moscow in 2019 to avoid being jailed for joining an anti pollutant demonstration you for today. some of you spend to 3 years in prison for nothing. and if you're 25 or 30, those are your best years. you've got your whole life ahead of you. you will have to wait for you. but i am telling you who desires no justice in that country. and there is no security, a new economic development datum stores after you can't be sure you won't end up in jail for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, no style of using but to beat that belongs to do is easy, but i read all the time on twitter, about people who want to leave you with or who you've already left. i wish i could use it. these aren't regular workers, i guess you've you, they're highly educated people with university degrees, doctors, engineers, and so forth, things, and yet it varies. the where nations going deep most people don't want to live there anymore. that's 12 years. what's the depth of

the economy, sir? good, good. you have settled in paris, france. he was russia's envoy to the european bank for reconstruction and development. he was forced into exile after sharing comments critical of pollutants in our circle, efficient enough. so i'm going to go to the in 2013, i sent publicly the nation must fight corruption. auction. that was, you have some friends told me that vladimir putin wasn't especially thrilled by that. things that went into my boss and he's often asked if he's concerned with the high numbers of educated people leaving russia. yeah, his answer is always, you know, when we are a free country, he was not finding it, but generally the price for you i don't want to show. and it's obvious why he says that if so, it was anyone who's educated, understands that russia is limping behind the rest of the world. what is the threat to his power? and for pretend it's better if people like that lived abroad. what goodness,

the way that you are living financing, but criticism is growing within russia to, in regions where people's lives are a far cry from that of urban centers like moscow. this leads to what i see life in russia is nothing but joy. uh no, need to look anywhere else or, you know, you loud man, egret off as an electrician and blogger who comes from total pets, a small russian town of $13000.00 residents. his internet report on the poor state of his home has ruffled the feathers of the powerful needed to lose the lead. this is the true face of hooting as russia. everything's destroyed. you see like this, dairy farm was going to be secure. no more bombs are needed here. nato no longer needs to destroy russia, in which the rest of the or the

flooding or a gut off, had to secretly flew to the west. across the border into lithuania. now he's at a refugee center waiting for his asylum claim to be processed of the usually i think i'm, i'm like a mini and of only that's what people call them. a lot of them i've only, i'm not running for any political office seals like what just asked that the streets of my town be cleaned up for that. i've been described as a public enemy. there was nothing else i could do. so i tried using humor, locals left those at the top didn't, so they took their revenge on me in their own way. but instead of responding to his concerns, the authorities arrested vladimir and charged him with extremism. she faced a long present term. the she only saw one way out, escaped

a stranger helped him out the select. somebody contacted me through facebook and said he could help me. he wasn't an activist, just a regular citizen. motion and he drove with me through bella, roost to the lithuanian border to a lake, and i had a water proof rucksack and slippers with me. i jumped out of the moving car straight into the water and swim half a kilometer across the lake at night with gps all wasteful. meanwhile, he and his son just carried on driving without stopping. just in case we've been followed. we, i asked him, do you realize you're helping a criminal? and he answered, i'd like to teach my son about courage, realistic, me vladimir had to leave his wife and children behind. all because he spoke the truth about the misery of life and rule. russia of

the work done. who is this obama mediation? obviously trump. i mean the way to, to the hell is that he's a no buddy compared to putting aside there. just idiots of up here or nothing but yes. got put in place. them like a little. yeah. i but a good way for you what kind of look here, we often get power cuts and i see it that we can cope with that will not do it. that's good. we can manage without light tobin that'll imagine how the americans would feel. yeah, maybe they'd be finished, which is to be sure, i just don't get them here because here according to official figures, the average monthly income in rural areas is equivalent to $300.00 euros, with no sign of an upswing as a show strength all put in can do with allude to the glory of long past victories during his commemorative speeches cannot fall. and i'm not sure that on the enemy attack, which our nation invaded it to destroyers as a state and

a nation that looked at them up celebrating associated victory over nazi germany. doesn't make up at the dissolution of the soviet union, the demonizing, the west hopes of national pride, the because the last we retreated from the west. every time i do agree it forced its economic and cultural model as well as its moral codes on to us in an aggressive manner and the model and then the rest and it's in. do people really believe that when evil pollutant is gone, you that'll be the end. would you eat that? russia will just submit to the west, which doesn't know that won't be the case. the middle school to a new region. so what is your new? that'd be the executioners are back in russia. we've always respected international law, but we'll defend our national interest of them had to lead them any price. just just

imagine that something that means it is cheaper. there are many regimes have been in power in russia. so there was sarcasm, beach styling is a different thing after that, it needs when i started here shortly, i describe the current one as a post modern dictatorship with a pseudo democratic facade, or the case with farcical elections and legal procedures and the justice system resembling that. of the soviet union, this is how much to the like, the

forgotten by the state, the story installations driving many in britain into poverty. the while the government does nothing. local initiatives of trying to prevent the west from happening. how long will this last, the 30 minutes, dw,

the, they stopped out from g is taking their c in the middle of the dash, a visa and sasha organizing reconstruction to the beat, to new houses. and we would have thought it's guessing code the raise the following . so names, the volunteers of twiddling will wins. have 3 is the mission. he is taking a scene, we do starts november 5th on dw, the

this is the, the we news line from berlin. israel presses it's advanced into gaza, city prime minister of benjamin netanyahu repeats his warning to gauze us to leave . and rawlings, his forces, saying nothing will stop them. that's as hundreds more for an passport holders escaped the besieged territory, several 1000 more are expected to be evacuated. to egypt in the next few weeks and we're a leader is called for a global strategy to tackle the risk posed by our.