fast advances, it might be slow. however, the idea is to grind the ukrainian military number on there. i've been puzzled and thanks for joining us here on dw use. i'll have more headlines for you next down. the guy who uses your thoughts say, who the, [000:00:00;00]

the industry is hooton's as popular as he claims why he's so afraid of his opponent, the prescribed flight up on the end of 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 the woods tabs. it is here. if they are victims, it's not a student's regime for if any of you out of their own stupidity scope. so in a group was to pull them. i worked in a research institution, i was forced to quit for this. i'm

a political activist. 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 r cooties critics willing to pay for greater justice and freedom. the soviet flag disappeared from the roof of the kremlin in 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 with the 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. the. hi. how's it going up? yeah. so uh you 2000. can you still speak russian? yeah. it's been a while, but i'll give it a go. if it got front on the board isn't ask a battle. it's september 2021. tolstoy,

a great grandson of the legendary writer hopes to win re election as a member of parliament. there so long to best buy the 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 there are electoral lifts. 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? 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 n g o goals, the electoral commission has blocked the candidacy of 9 me 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 feel position is the minority of the presidential election shows us what the majority thinks be related. some questions on that. this issue, that's just 5000 people out of 150000000. when i suppose i want 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 put and 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 use of junction 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. give us more just the core of, of this wouldn't hire this this transparent box is one of thousands of mobile ballot boxes belonging to the russian. and the total commission they were introduced to make voting easier for the elderly during the corona virus pandemic. hello, we're from the electoral 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 meagre pensions of the, the name of the governing parties, candidate standing for re election is dimitri peps. off the the you mockery to patrol now? yes. where he so you can vote why you requested the visit didn't you saw it? well no you yes, i remember who should i vote for? i'll explain everything to you. oh, i've brought a pin. you can keep the mazda rita struggles to find

the name of the candidate just recommended to her. so i was so somebody think that the civic did the nursing home a give you the name of the new me? yes, i heard tough stuff. no, 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 what not to election observer, olga. this is clearly a setup. 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. what can you come across next to a chosen candidate? did you already decide? yeah, i'm a grown woman and i'm voting for peps of from united russia. so please don't

folders. i'll help you from other systems. 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. so this is i'm well, thank goodbye. yeah, and you do mostly use the thing that's cool. i don't think russia is divided or you by sure. just my lovely through g, there's a minority of young people who didn't experience the soviet junior duties, especially who were born after it ended up got the i believe it 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. i'm good idea is up and it's in this to utilize pages teaching this. there's a whole lot of new cut them. what assess these things differently? he was

a comrade and friend of boys names off who was shot dead in front of the kremlin and 2015. vladimir has survived to poison a tax himself and his under permanent secret service surveillance and opportunity for them to guide even 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 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 is a very main chat. ask us with that. can you believe say for example me and i said we're being funded by the west with budget on those are pretty picky to june. people sharing has offered you. what can i say that 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. you know, some of them julian will prescribe. well, if i don't hear that they're following or wiretapping me as i start to new ideas,

it's psychological warfare. but after 2 attacks with me and michel substances being tail doesn't scare me anymore. no. thank you. most guy knew what's really going on in this country and who's behind it all started. in addition to the, the assassination attempt on vladimir cut a motorcycle. there been numerous other poisoned attacks on members of the opposition since by my opponent became russian president in 2000 and august 2020 alexi nova on the 1st 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 pretty man i don't know. i mean, yeah, i mean, records is mostly i'm and i'm reading a lot of what's being written about me in moscow position in downtown moscow. authorities began to track down more harshly and protests. the this picture of 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 me. concerning that his plan had been diverted. the

protesters didn't hold back. for 10, you prove i could tour like say no problem, you had been condemning corruption in russia from within 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 glory. he was still arrested. but while he was in germany and of all me, prepared and 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, putting the same 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 president's megalomania, his family is embezzling public funds and how his cage, he'd be era 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 viewed more than $100000000.00 times on youtube. in the few states across the country, more and more disaffected russians rally behind a volunteer and protest against ramp and corruption. every request to demonstrate is blocked. this gives the authorities the power to intervene and the rest of

participants. dear citizens, we're here to ensure your safety. we have disperse. this is no legal gathering. nevertheless, older and her sister tanya meet a friend. they know a lien 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. yes, that's it. what scared i might be detained with the things to the n g o z. at least i know the law most were doing this discreetly. 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 entered front of lena stay on the sidelines. was nice to see what that's what, but if i had a bad feeling about this, don't you cut off the situation escalates? what does that, 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? don't 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 been arrested stuff? 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. other than the to a few days later, the president takes questions from students. in spite of his friendly, calm tone that made 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 be thank you for your question. no, i'd like to make it clear once again,

let's go to that. everyone has the right to free expression at you show that this can only happen within the existing legal framework. now what i, what i'd say you would wish was it 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, rucker now by now you will allow me encourages his supporters to take to the street . and thereby, break the law of 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 look okay. but of their own stupidity. soaps in

a group as 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, rooming parlor. she loves animals, but this job's a far cry from her actual expertise. yes, i'm an engineer in the ms. all industry and i worked at the 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,

and my bosses didn't like the fact that i was working for the physician. and think of it one day i was visiting work by people from the f s. b. the domestic secret service alina lost, her trust in russian state media long ago. like many young people, she gets their information from independent new sites online. they paint a completely different picture of hooton's, russia. here's columbus findings of my grand parents watch tv old a new piece which 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. yeah. was no actual pulls up, but i'm sure this, initially they tried to change my political views, that we always ended up arguing nixon with these days i just avoid the subject because i know the discussion won't lead any way you, but i'm always basically putting, i mean,

my guess crazy man. he's going to do soviet times. no one believe the state propaganda, but i'm going to japan. the people even laughed at the headlines and the see piece paper proud of joe and figure it out today to we're living in an empire full of lies 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 that one is actually in the kremlin. propaganda is still feeling the majority of russians and influencing millions of people or divorce respect. but there are also millions of people, especially the young who stopped believing putin's lies. i'm. we're seeing them at the demos region. i wanted to mention because older dis, information tactics no longer work with this generation. the regime deploys the fear factor. lena is example shows that this isn't just about losing

a general overpaying of 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 march 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 arrests me. there were scuffles with the police which also involved igor, the young man in the jean shorts and gray t shirts. later, authorities claim that the court hit this police officer so hard. he could no longer stand up. as this footage clearly shows, it was a complete fabrication. nevertheless, you go was sentenced to 3 years in prison together with many other demonstrators. the senior portrait is

just, he's got one more year to serve show spouse. yeah, live in a way for egos partner dasha the spelled the end of their shared dream to make up for this contender. then answer this can we were planning to start our own tourism business and have a commercial show for and around vacationers we even wanted to buy a mini van pitch. what don't you so here are 1st posts about it and what they've left or equal or was sentenced on. and 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 was awesome. it is me. but we

went for traders terrible people's immunization. and then after the trial, i received threats from others saying they wanted to shoot a burn or hang me just a moment of what the fire and it took to produce people who make and implement the lowest head of shred of honesty, justice or sense just nice to ego or would have been given a suspended sentence at the very most of them, most of them will fall. and then when they have that board show, the decrease in holding ego is located indeed 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. be sending you guys and i see no reason why my client can be released early experience this. 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. 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 and 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. not fear 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 then 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 with 14 years in prison. even though he didn't hurt anyone. he is a victim of the russian justice system's 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 feeling of all the look here. i was tortured. are you up with me in russia? confessions are beaten out of you, but the advice is develop we've it's because i knew it is nice and there you are really nice day for me. of course, with the word from one you don't, they are quite creative and hits you where it hurts the most in wishing. and the they also use electricity from an old generator or anything like that. and how much in the price of the church was it applied? oh lovely, should i leave a union to the genitals normally, associates it's sometimes to the face on one with the sheets clicked full for the

year at the mercy of their ingenuity. sometimes they could buy new ones and they know where it's most painful for new and you know about the site to the years as well to say to year loops or cheek. your wife can produce footage with 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 public, the film caused a scandal, but the perpetrators got off with extremely lenient sentences. the capital letters and 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. this is house. it is not a lot like to die out. as i filed down the tooth brush handle and rammed into my

neck, you were the fullest one. 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 there is a decision who now lives in bill muse. he's an item network specialist like i'd or

he had to flee moscow in 2019 to avoid being jailed for joining an entry. putting demonstration people today. some of you spend to 3 years in prison for nothing. 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 so there's no justice in that country and there's no security, a new economic development data and stores often and you can't be sure you won't end up in jail for being in the wrong place on the wrong time. i'll stay and i've used 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, they're highly educated people with university degrees, doctors, engineers, and so forth, things, and yet it varies the way our nation's going. a lot of 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 that the nation must fight corruption. auction. that was yes, the friends told me that vladimir putin wasn't especially thrilled by that. most of the boss and he's often asked if he's concerned with the high numbers of educated people leaving russia. i think i got the, 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 the of still more anyone who's educated understands that russia is limping behind the rest of the world. what is the threat to his power? and for putin is better of people,

he's not lived abroad. what goodness, the way that you are looking to answer but criticism is growing within russia to, in regions where people's lives are a far cry from that of urban centers like moscow is 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 that 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. if you like, this dairy farm was going to be secure. no more bombs are needed here. thank you. nato no longer needs to destroy russia, which the rest of the flooding or

a good off had to secretly flew to the west. across the border into lithuania. and now he's out of refugees center, waiting for his asylum claim to be processed. so yeah, you come on, i'm like a mini of only. that's what people called me. no one of them. i've only, i'm not running for any political office. single, single. just ask 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 laughs, but those are 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 technician 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 bellow, roost to the lithuanian border to a lake. and just 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 the way. so 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 or the who is this obama mediation? obviously, trump. i mean, the way to, to the hell is that he's a nobody compared to putting aside there just it's of up here or nothing. right? yes. good. put in place them like up to it'll be a habit of good weed for you. what kind of look here, we often get power cuts and see if we can cope with that will not see it. that's good. we can manage without light tobin metal. imagine how the americans would feel . yeah, maybe up they'd be finished, which is to be sure, i just don't get them here. couple months here. according to official figures, the average monthly income and rural areas is equivalent to $300.00 euros, with no sign of an upswing as a show of strength. all put in can do is allude to the glory of long past victories during his commemorative speeches. i cannot fall natural from the enemy at top of

our nation, invaded it to destroyers as a state and a nation that look them up soon. celebrating associated victory over nazi germany doesn't make up the dissolution of the soviet union, the demonizing, the west tops. okay. national pride, the because the us, 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. murder and underestimates, and do people really believe that when evil putting is gone you that'll be the end . would you eat that? russia will just submit to the west who doesn't know that won't be the case. the middle school to or you may read them. 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 with them any price should match, and that's something i need to do. so i see here as mean for many regimes have been in power in russia, so there was sarcasm, beach, styling isn't. and everything after that using us moment, trimball started here. shortly, i scraped the current one as a postmodern dictatorship with a pseudo democratic facade. or the case with farcical elections and legal procedures and adjust the system resembling that of the soviet union. that is how much the like

the pounds of the poles. it's an extra year in south africa, as outside young voters of the key to exchange your own dismiss together. let's come together. let's do this together. here, let me change things around this 77 to

30 minutes. dw, window cleaner. bite a drag queen by not marcell lay low alias. lulu. what square life like in poland these states. how does it differ from other european countries? b l g, b, g q i active this doesn't mean square is 09 in 90 minutes on d w. the oh tough calls to everyone who wants to know more about this topic that concern us about this story is beyond the headline world in progress. the w postcard

the this is dw use line from the good morning and confusion of the dance of alexi. nevada may as support his stage vigils in moscow and other cities develops these allies say they cannot access his body and then not being told how the russian hill position beat it done. you find the president takes that to stage activated the security conference document. so let's see says his forces have hotels the battlefield as west support fins out as forces retreat