Official position/function in relation to the conflict

The Solidarity branch of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the Peaceful Resistance group in St. Petersburg are associations of activists that operate as platforms for discussing the issues of the protest movement, organizing actions, and joint actions. Solidarity was founded by Boris Nemtsov and other opposition leaders at the end of 2008 as a coalition of Russian democratic forces. The movement is part of the non-systemic and independent Russian opposition.

The Peaceful Resistance Group is a non-partisan association of active participants in the protest movement in St. Petersburg. Its Facebook page says, “The group was created to discuss and promote events related to peaceful resistance to the regime in St. Petersburg.”

The Solidarity and Peaceful Resistance groups are most active in St. Petersburg, where they have a large number of active supporters. Both groups take a pro-Ukrainian position, expressing strong protest against the actions of the Russian authorities in relation to Ukraine.

Actions in relation to the conflict region

Regular street mass and single actions in support of Ukraine – pickets, and demonstrations, especially on Ukrainian holidays – Independence Day of Ukraine, etc. During 2014-2015, the groups organized mass demonstrations in Moscow (up to 30,000 participants) and St. Petersburg (up to 10,000) for peace in Ukraine, against Russian intervention and the annexation of Crimea. Mass actions and single pickets were held in support of Nadezhda Savchenko, Oleg Sentsov, Ukrainian sailors, etc. In 2018-2020, efforts are mainly aimed at drawing attention to the problems of the Crimean Tatars – arrests and accusations of them participating in terrorist groups. Also, both groups are engaged in other types of assistance: they organize the collection of humanitarian aid and money for the victims, for Ukrainian NGOs, work as volunteers in settlements along the contact line, etc. 

They also conduct numerous discussions and seminars on Ukrainian topics.