Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Autonomous Action

Autonomous Action is a federation of anarchist and libertarian communist groups in Russia, established in 2002 to advance direct action against state authority, capitalism, and social hierarchies through self-organization, mutual aid, and solidarity. The organization publishes the journal Avtonom and operates the website avtonom.org, which disseminates news on anarchist initiatives, antifascist efforts, and protest movements within Russia and Russian-speaking regions. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Autonomous Action has maintained an anti-war position, rejecting support for both the Russian and Ukrainian states while documenting domestic repression and aiding anarchist prisoners. Its activities include organizing street protests, antifascist interventions, and mutual aid networks, often amid state crackdowns that led to the blocking of its website in Russia in 2022 and splits within the group, such as the formation of People's Self-Defense in 2013.

Ideology and Principles

Core Tenets of Libertarian Communism

Libertarian communism, as defined by Autonomous Action, constitutes a free, stateless, and self-governed society structured without any form of domination. This framework rejects the state as an inherent instrument of oppression, designed to exploit the working majority in service of a privileged minority, and condemns capitalism as a totalizing system of warfare, profiteering, and dehumanizing humiliation that inevitably culminates in ecological catastrophe. The ideology demands the total abolition of both institutions, viewing reformist approaches within them as futile and complicit in perpetuating inequality. Central to this vision is the establishment of horizontal, decentralized social relations through direct democracy, worker self-management of production, and libertarian communes organized via federalist principles of voluntary association and mutual aid. Exploitation and hierarchy are to be eradicated by collectivizing the means of production under communal control, ensuring equitable distribution based on need rather than market forces or coercive authority. Autonomous Action emphasizes building dual power structures—autonomous initiatives parallel to state and capitalist apparatuses—to prefigure this society, fostering self-reliance and resistance against everyday oppressions like patriarchy, nationalism, and environmental degradation. Methods for achieving these ends prioritize over electoralism or vanguardist parties, including mass strikes, expropriations, and revolutionary insurrections coordinated through grassroots networks. The organization critiques , exemplified by , for substituting one form of with bureaucratic centralism, and dismisses mass as a mechanism of passive control that alienates individuals from collective liberation. Ultimate goals encompass cultivating a humanist grounded in , anti-militarism, and , with libertarian positioned as the only viable path to genuine human emancipation.

Influences from Anarchist Traditions

Autonomous Action's ideology is deeply rooted in classical anarchist thought, particularly the works of Mikhail Bakunin, who emphasized that "freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice, and socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality." This principle underscores the group's commitment to libertarian communism, rejecting both capitalist exploitation and state authoritarianism in favor of voluntary, non-hierarchical social organization. Influences from Peter Kropotkin and Errico Malatesta are evident in their advocacy for mutual aid, direct action, and federative structures, aligning with broader Russian anarchist traditions that emerged from 19th-century populist and nihilist movements dissatisfied with tsarist reforms. The group draws explicit inspiration from historical anarchist experiments, such as the Makhnovist movement led by during the (1917–1921), which exemplified libertarian communist through peasant and worker soviets opposing Bolshevik centralization. Similarly, the Spanish Revolution of 1936–1939, where anarcho-syndicalist collectives under the CNT-FAI managed production and society without state control, serves as a model for Autonomous Action's vision of revolutionary change from below via autonomous collectives. These examples inform their rejection of vanguardist parties and authoritarian socialism, including , , , , and , prioritizing instead decentralized resistance against state and capital. Elements of Tolstoyanism, with its emphasis on non-violent communalism and critique of state violence, also permeate their anti-militarism and humanist cultural goals, though Autonomous Action prioritizes direct action over pacifism. Their federative, non-hierarchical organizational model—featuring rotation of responsibilities, exclusion of permanent leadership, and decision-making by consensus—directly echoes anarchist federalism, ensuring autonomy of member groups while fostering mutual aid and equality. This structure, formalized in their 2002 manifesto adopted at the founding conference in Nizhny Novgorod on January 25–27, 2002, positions Autonomous Action as a contemporary heir to these traditions amid post-Soviet repression.

Manifesto and Critiques of State and Capital

The of Autonomous Action, adopted during the organization's founding conference on –27, 2002, in , articulates its core opposition to hierarchical authority and economic exploitation as foundational to libertarian communism. The document rejects incremental reforms through parliamentary or governmental channels, insisting instead on revolutionary transformation initiated from below through and . It positions Autonomous Action as a committed to dismantling structures that suppress individual and collective autonomy, drawing on anarchist traditions to advocate for federated communes and workers' councils as alternatives to centralized power. Central to the manifesto's critique of the is its portrayal as an inherent tool of and that perpetuates by enforcing the dominance of a privileged minority over the majority. The is condemned for stifling human , , and through coercive institutions, including and legal apparatuses that protect elite interests rather than communal needs. Autonomous Action explicitly opposes all forms of , viewing it as incompatible with genuine ; even purportedly "progressive" states are seen as mechanisms that alienate individuals from direct control over their lives, necessitating their complete abolition in favor of , self-managed societies. This stance extends to rejecting participation in electoral politics or alliances, which the manifesto argues only reinforce the very hierarchies anarchists seek to eradicate. The manifesto's analysis of emphasizes its role in engendering systemic , including wars driven by profit motives, widespread humiliation of the , and an impending ecological from unchecked resource extraction and for rather than use. is critiqued as an irreformable division of society into exploiters and exploited, where wage labor commodifies human activity and market relations prioritize monetary power over equitable access to resources. The document calls for the total liquidation of class structures, , and the profit imperative, proposing instead a system of workers' where aligns with social needs and goods are distributed freely without monetary mediation. This anticapitalist position underscores the interdependence of state and capital, portraying them as mutually reinforcing apparatuses that must be confronted through collective resistance to achieve a stateless, classless order.

Historical Development

Founding and Early Formation (2002–2005)

Autonomous Action emerged in early 2002 as a decentralized federation uniting pre-existing anarchist collectives across Russia, driven by informal networks among activists seeking coordinated resistance to state and capitalist structures. The organization's formal establishment occurred during its 1st Founding Congress, held from 25 to 27 January 2002 in Nizhny Novgorod, where representatives from groups in cities including Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, and Penza adopted a unified platform emphasizing direct action, mutual aid, and opposition to authoritarianism. This congress marked the transition from ad hoc collaborations to a structured alliance of autonomous initiatives, with participants committing to libertarian communist principles without hierarchical leadership or mandatory membership dues. In its initial phase, Autonomous Action prioritized network-building and ideological dissemination, publishing manifestos and pamphlets critiquing Russia's post-Soviet neoliberal reforms and lingering Soviet-era . Early activities included campaigns against deportations and participation in anti-globalization protests, such as those tied to international No Border networks, reflecting the group's focus on transnational anarchist amid Russia's restrictive . By mid-2003, the had formalized regional branches in at least a dozen cities, enabling localized direct actions like anti-fascist mobilizations and labor disruptions, though internal debates over tactical militancy—ranging from non-violent blockades to —tested the commitment to voluntary coordination. A notable development in 2004 was the launch of the Antijob project by Moscow-based members, which targeted workplace through resources on , union evasion, and informal worker networks, aligning with the group's critique of wage labor as coercive. Through 2005, Autonomous Action expanded its publishing efforts, distributing translations of classic anarchist texts alongside original analyses of socio-economic conditions, while navigating that viewed such activities as subversive. These formative years solidified the organization's non-dogmatic ethos, rejecting both Bolshevik legacies and liberal reforms in favor of , though its small scale—estimated at several hundred active participants—limited broader impact amid pervasive apathy post-1990s .

Expansion and Peak Activities (2006–2013)

During this period, Autonomous Action expanded its organizational footprint, establishing active branches in approximately 15 cities across and , including , , , and , facilitating coordinated regional actions. The federation emphasized decentralized autonomy, with local groups conducting independent initiatives while aligning on core anti-capitalist and anti- principles. This growth was supported by ongoing publication of the Avtonom , which by 2009 had become a key outlet for disseminating libertarian communist theory, critiques of state policies, and reports on , appearing in print runs that reached anarchist networks domestically and abroad. The organization intensified anti-fascist efforts, coordinating patrols and interventions against neo-Nazi groups amid rising ultranationalist violence in the mid-2000s; for instance, in 2006, members disrupted fascist gatherings in multiple cities and provided security at libertarian events, as chronicled in contemporaneous reports of summer and fall actions. Regular veche (popular assemblies) were held in urban centers, serving as forums for debate on direct action tactics, mutual aid, and opposition to authoritarianism, drawing participants from broader dissident circles. These assemblies, rooted in anarchist traditions of horizontal decision-making, often addressed local issues like labor exploitation and police brutality, with attendance peaking in response to economic discontent post-2008 global crisis. Peak activities aligned with the 2011–2013 protests triggered by alleged in parliamentary elections and Vladimir Putin's presidential bid; Autonomous Action activists joined mass demonstrations, including those on Bolotnaya Square, advocating abolition of state hierarchies over liberal reforms and clashing with authorities during escalations. Anarchist contingents, including from Autonomous Action, raised black flags and distributed criticizing both the and opposition for perpetuating capitalist structures, while organizing autonomous blocs to prevent co-optation by electoral politics. This involvement marked heightened visibility, with the federation reporting increased membership and networks, though it drew intensified from security services. By 2013, such engagements had solidified Autonomous Action's role in Russia's radical left, despite internal debates over tactics amid mounting arrests.

Repression and Adaptation (2014–Present)

Following the annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and subsequent escalation of state control over dissent, Russian authorities intensified measures against anarchist groups, including Autonomous Action, through anti-extremism laws and raids targeting perceived threats to public order. In November 2013, a Tyumen court declared issues 29, 32, and 33 of the group's Avtonom magazine "extremist materials," prohibiting their distribution and setting a precedent for broader scrutiny of anarchist publications. By early 2014, Anarchist Black Cross Moscow documented multiple arrests and searches of activists linked to Autonomous Action during protests and mutual aid efforts, with at least 10 cases of detention for alleged hooliganism or unauthorized assembly in January-February alone. These actions coincided with the "Bolotnoye affair" trials, where over 30 opposition figures, including some with anarchist ties, received sentences up to 8 years for 2012 clashes, signaling a pattern of retroactive prosecution against radical left networks. Repression peaked in 2017-2019 amid fabricated cases, notably "," where () operations in and St. Petersburg led to the arrest of 11 individuals, several associated with Autonomous Action circles, on charges of plotting violent overthrow of the government; evidence included coerced confessions and planted explosives, resulting in sentences ranging from 6 to 18 years by 2020. A 2018 suicide bombing of an office in by an anarchist prompted nationwide sweeps, with sources estimating dozens of detentions and interrogations of Autonomous Action sympathizers under Article 205.2 of for justifying online. By 2019, the group's regional branches faced operational shutdowns, with membership dropping amid surveillance and asset freezes, as reported in anarchist prisoner support updates. The 2022 invasion of triggered unprecedented crackdowns on anti-war activities, with Autonomous Action participants among over 15,000 arrested in the first month for protesting and ; specific cases included fines and short-term detentions in and St. Petersburg for distributing anti-war leaflets. Laws criminalizing "discrediting the armed forces" (Article 280.3) led to or status for remaining activists, with the group highlighting at least 20 anarchist convictions tied to war opposition by mid-2023. State media and statements framed these as defenses against "" subversion, though independent monitors noted disproportionate application to left-radical networks. In adaptation, Autonomous Action restructured as a decentralized media collective by 2015, emphasizing digital publishing over physical gatherings to evade raids; Avtonom.org evolved into a platform for podcasts like "Trends of Order and Chaos," prisoner support campaigns, and analyses of state capitalism, sustaining outreach without formal hierarchy. Collaborations with international anarchist networks, such as Anarchist Black Cross chapters, facilitated fundraising for legal aid, raising over 1 million rubles annually for cases post-2018. Mutual aid shifted online, including virtual Food Not Bombs coordination and encrypted Telegram channels for regional solidarity, allowing persistence amid 90% reported decline in public actions by 2022. This pivot, while limiting direct confrontation, preserved ideological continuity through content critiquing authoritarianism and imperialism.

Organizational Structure

Federation Model and Autonomy

Autonomous Action functions as a loose federation of self-managed regional collectives united by shared libertarian communist principles, eschewing centralized authority in favor of decentralized coordination. Local groups retain full autonomy in their operations, including the initiation of direct actions, protests, and mutual aid efforts specific to their geographic contexts, without requiring approval from any higher body. This structure, formalized since the group's inception in early 2002, prioritizes the preservation of individual and collective initiative by rejecting hierarchical leadership, vanguardism, and rigid division of labor that could stifle grassroots dynamism. Coordination among affiliates occurs via a , comprising delegates elected annually by member groups, with a strict limit of two consecutive years per delegate to prevent power consolidation and enable by constituents. General meetings of the serve as forums for on strategic policies, such as media initiatives or stances on cooperation—explicitly prohibiting alliances with authoritarian organizations—adopted through consensus-oriented processes that emphasize broad participation over . This model draws from anarchist traditions of , where binding decisions emerge from and revocable mandates rather than imposed directives. Membership operates on a basis, requiring groups to align with core tenets like and while maintaining internal self-governance. The federation's emphasis on extends to ideological within bounds, allowing diverse tactics—from to campaigns—as long as they advance against state and capital, without compromising the non-hierarchical framework. This approach has enabled adaptation to repression, with regional branches sustaining independent activities amid state crackdowns since 2014.

Regional Branches and Membership Dynamics

Autonomous Action maintains a decentralized federation model, consisting of autonomous regional chapters that operate independently while coordinating on shared initiatives such as publishing and mutual aid. These chapters emerged primarily in Russian cities during the organization's formative years, with early activity centered in Krasnodar, where the group was founded in 2002, before relocating its publishing base to Moscow in 2005. Documented regional groups include those in , (), , , , , , and various Siberian towns, reflecting a geographic spread from to the . By October 2008, the federation encompassed more than ten such regional departments, supplemented by individual participants engaging in local direct actions like anti-fascist mobilizations and environmental protests. Membership operates on principles of voluntary individual affiliation and collective autonomy, without centralized dues or mandatory hierarchies, fostering small, fluid cells typically numbering in the low dozens per region to mitigate risks from surveillance. Dynamics shifted from expansion in the mid-2000s—driven by alliances with subcultures, movements, and labor confederations like the Siberian Confederation of Labor—to contraction amid escalating repression post-2012, including raids on groups in and . Intensified crackdowns after Russia's 2014 annexation of and the 2022 invasion of prompted evacuations and exile for key members, reducing overt regional visibility while sustaining underground networks through digital coordination and diaspora support. Affiliated entities, such as Moscow (established 2003), continue facilitating prisoner aid across regions, underscoring adaptive resilience amid ongoing legal designations of anarchist activities as . This evolution prioritizes security protocols, with membership recruitment emphasizing ideological alignment via manifestos and local affinity groups over mass enrollment.

Key Activities and Campaigns

Publishing and Media Efforts

Autonomous Action maintains the multilingual website avtonom.org as its primary , featuring news updates, analytical articles, and opinion columns on anarchist , anti-authoritarian struggles, and regional across , , and . The site serves as a hub for disseminating content in and English, including reports on actions, prisoner support, and critiques of state repression, with contributions from affiliated activists. Operational amid ongoing censorship challenges in , avtonom.org has continued publishing despite funding appeals for sustainability during periods of intensified crackdowns post-2022. The group's flagship print publication is the journal Avtonom, a libertarian communist periodical originating in 1995 and associated with Autonomous Action since its 2002 federation formation. Issues, such as №32 (Winter 2011) and preparations for №37 as of earlier reports, cover topics including movement history, anti-fascist strategies, and theoretical debates on versus hierarchy, distributed primarily through activist networks in the former . Circulation emphasizes reach over commercial viability, with content often banned in , as exemplified by the prohibition of specific articles on by 2013. Supplementary media efforts include the and of leaflets and pamphlets for immediate , such as anti-war statements circulated in 2024 opposing both and involvement in the conflict. These materials align with the organization's non-hierarchical ethos, prioritizing accessible, reproducible formats to foster rather than centralized . Overall, activities reflect a to counter-narratives against dominant state and capitalist , though constrained by legal risks and resource limitations in authoritarian contexts.

Direct Action and Protests

Autonomous Action has consistently advocated as its primary method for confronting perceived injustices, eschewing electoral participation and reformist approaches in favor of tactics such as , patrols, and disruptive interventions aimed at immediate change. This approach draws from anarchist principles emphasizing and confrontation with authority, often involving risks of arrest and violence. In its formative years, affiliated groups conducted protests targeting social restrictions, including actions in Yekaterinburg against university dormitory rules limiting guest access, which activists framed as state-imposed controls on personal freedoms. These early efforts, dating to the mid-2000s, involved public demonstrations and negotiations with administrators, reflecting a focus on everyday autonomy issues. Similar initiatives occurred in other regional branches, blending protest with mutual aid to support affected students. Anti-fascist activities formed a core of the group's direct actions throughout the 2000s and 2010s, including coordinated street patrols in cities like and to monitor and disrupt neo-Nazi gatherings. These patrols, which numbered in the dozens annually during peak periods, sought to physically protect immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, and leftists from attacks, frequently resulting in skirmishes with far-right groups and subsequent police interventions. A notable example was the January 18, 2009, anti-fascist march in , organized by the local branch to honor lawyer and journalist , assassinated by neo-Nazis days earlier; the event drew dozens of participants and highlighted ongoing solidarity against fascist violence. Environmental direct actions were less frequent but included occupations protesting industrial , echoing tactics like the prolonged against phenol emissions referenced in the group's historical critiques of reformist —though such high-profile occupations predated the federation's founding, later branches adapted similar confrontational methods against local factories. During broader opposition protests, such as those in 2011–2012 against , Autonomous Action members participated in street assemblies () and blockades, advocating anarchist critiques amid larger crowds exceeding 100,000 in . Post-2014 repression, including anti-extremism laws, compelled a shift to lower-profile tactics, with overt protests declining in favor of actions like support for imprisoned activists. Following Russia's 2022 invasion of , the group endorsed anti-war direct actions, including evasion of and symbolic disruptions like anti-militarism graffiti, while documenting over 19,000 arrests from related protests nationwide—though attribution to Autonomous Action specifically remains obscured for participant safety. These efforts underscore adaptation to heightened state surveillance, prioritizing survival over mass visibility.

Mutual Aid and Solidarity Initiatives

Autonomous Action has prioritized solidarity initiatives centered on supporting political prisoners and persecuted activists, particularly those targeted for anti-war stances amid Russia's 2022 invasion of . The Solidarity Zone project, initiated by affiliates of the group, delivers financial assistance, , and publicity for individuals prosecuted under anti-extremism and wartime laws. In February 2023, the initiative documented ongoing daily operations, including monitoring cases, coordinating donations, and amplifying prisoner narratives to counter state suppression. By September 2025, it launched a to fund three months of activities, emphasizing sustained material support for anti-war detainees. Support networks affiliated with Autonomous Action extend to outreach for political prisoners, involving tasks such as securing lawyers, raising defense funds, preparing care packages, and engaging for visibility. These efforts, often operating under pseudonyms like ", , Hope," prioritize direct, non-hierarchical coordination to mitigate risks from and reprisals. Historical precedents include early labor actions, where activists escorted unpaid workers to confront employers, though such fieldwork diminished post-2014 due to intensified state crackdowns. Post-2022 emigration waves prompted expanded mutual aid for Russian anarchists abroad, focusing on material distributions like food and housing aid alongside educational workshops to foster self-organization. These projects aim to integrate newcomers into autonomous networks, countering isolation in host countries while avoiding reliance on state or NGO structures. Events such as the 2025 "Father Frost Against Putin" festival highlighted mutual aid discussions, linking domestic prisoner support with emigrant resource-sharing. Critics within anarchist circles note limitations, as these initiatives remain small-scale and vulnerable to funding shortfalls, yet proponents credit them with sustaining underground resilience against authoritarian consolidation.

Reception, Controversies, and Criticisms

Achievements Claimed by Supporters

Supporters of Autonomous Action attribute to the group the establishment of a robust anarchist federation that peaked as the largest such organization in between 2006 and 2013, enabling coordinated anti-authoritarian campaigns across multiple cities. Through affiliated efforts like the , they claim repeated successes in evacuating persecuted activists, including three operations in 2012 to relocate anarchists targeted by for criminal charges, and similar achievements in subsequent years amid heightened repression. In anti-fascist organizing, proponents highlight Autonomous Action's role in spearheading the youth movement from the early 2000s, which responded to rising ultraright violence by forming the core of Russia's opposition to nationalists and fostering an anarchist-infused anti-fascist network. This involvement extended to direct actions that disrupted fascist activities and built subcultural alliances within , , and scenes, transitioning them toward anti-fascist stances. Advocates also point to the group's contributions in protests and solidarity initiatives, such as participation in anti-Putin rallies in during 2011–2012 and ongoing anti-war demonstrations post-2022, where they claim to have amplified dissenting voices, supported political prisoners, and achieved modest tactical wins in evasion and awareness-raising despite state crackdowns. Publishing via platforms like avtonom.org is touted as a key accomplishment, providing translations, news, and theoretical resources that sustained anarchist discourse and international connections amid domestic isolation.

Internal Divisions and Failures

The federation experienced internal tensions as early as the mid-2000s, particularly in affiliated or overlapping groups within the anarchist milieu. For instance, in 2008, the Konfederatsiya Rabochego Anarkho-Sindikalizma (KRAS-MPST), a syndicalist organization with historical ties to broader anarchist networks including figures associated with Autonomous Action, underwent a major split triggered by accusations of against key members, resulting in the organization's fragmentation. Such conflicts highlighted ideological rifts over tactics, , and strategic priorities, which occasionally spilled into Autonomous Action's decentralized structure despite its emphasis on autonomy. The 2022 exacerbated these divisions, leading to profound fragmentation within the group and the wider anarchist movement. While Autonomous Action issued statements condemning aggression as imperialist and rejecting support for any state belligerent, debates over the appropriate anarchist response—ranging from strict anti-militarism and neutrality to qualified with —fostered hostility and disillusionment among members. This discord, compounded by mass emigration, repression, and logistical challenges, culminated in the effective collapse of Autonomous Action as an operational federation, transitioning it into a primarily media-oriented by late 2022. Organizational failures were evident in the inability to sustain coordinated direct action amid these pressures. Pre-war efforts, such as mutual aid and protests, dwindled as regional branches dissolved or went underground, with internal critiques pointing to a lack of ideological cohesion and strategic adaptability. Post-invasion, the group's reduced capacity for physical presence in Russia underscored broader anarchist organizational decline, where aversion to hierarchy inadvertently amplified vulnerabilities to external crackdowns and internal schisms. Self-reflective accounts from former participants attribute this to "disillusionment, lack of principle, and hostility" that fragmented remaining networks, preventing renewal as a federated entity.

External Critiques from Diverse Perspectives

Russian authorities have classified materials associated with Autonomous Action, including issues of its Avtonom journal, as extremist since 2013, prohibiting their distribution under laws targeting activities deemed threats to and public order. This designation stems from content advocating against state power, such as an article on "" banned for promoting to . State prosecutors argue such publications incite unrest and justify terrorist acts, reflecting a broader crackdown on non-state political actors under Russia's framework, which has expanded to include over 2,200 banned items by 2014. Among international anarchist and leftist circles, Autonomous Action has faced for its measured stance on the Russia-Ukraine , issuing only a cautious condemnation of aggression shortly before the full-scale , which some viewed as insufficiently resolute against . Critics from pro-Ukrainian anarchist networks, such as those emphasizing unequivocal with Ukrainian resistance, contend that the group's emphasis on anti-nationalism on both sides dilutes opposition to state actions, potentially echoing equivocal positions amid ongoing territorial annexations. This perspective highlights tensions within global , where Autonomous Action's federated model is seen by some as prioritizing ideological purity over coordinated anti-authoritarian fronts. Conservative and nationalist commentators, particularly in pro-Russian , portray Autonomous Action as inherently destabilizing, accusing it of fostering through anti-fascist patrols and protests that undermine and national . While specific attributions are limited, such views align with broader right-wing dismissals of as utopian and prone to without viable governance alternatives, as evidenced in historical analyses of anarchist movements' practical shortcomings during periods. These critiques often frame the group's activities, like opposition to projects and anti-Putin rallies, as foreign-influenced rather than . The Russian and judiciary have subjected members and affiliates of Autonomous Action to repeated investigations and prosecutions, primarily under articles of prohibiting the formation of terrorist organizations (Article 205.4) and participation therein (Article 205.5), as well as extremism-related offenses. These actions intensified following the group's anti-fascist direct actions and publications critiquing state policies, with authorities alleging plots to overthrow the constitutional order through violence. In 2013, Russia's designated several issues of the Avtonom journal—published by Autonomous Action—as extremist materials, banning their distribution and placing them on the federal list of prohibited content for purportedly inciting hatred and justifying terrorism. Prominent legal challenges include the "Network" case, where seven anarchist and anti-fascist activists, some linked to broader anti-authoritarian networks overlapping with Autonomous Action's milieu, were convicted in February 2020 by the District Military Court on charges for allegedly forming a clandestine group planning attacks during the . Sentences ranged from six to 18 years in maximum-security colonies, based on confessions defendants claimed were coerced through , including electric shocks and beatings, as documented in UN and reports; independent forensic exams confirmed injuries consistent with abuse. The later ruled in related cases that Russia's use of such tactics violated fair trial standards, though domestic appeals were denied. The 2022 " case" exemplifies ongoing repression, with six anarchists and anti-fascists arrested in August across , , and on suspicions of creating a terrorist community amid anti-war activities following Russia's invasion of . Detainees reported severe , including electric shocks and asphyxiation, to extract admissions of plans; as of June 2025, trials continued with pretrial detention extended, and international observers noted fabricated evidence patterns akin to prior anarchist prosecutions. Post-invasion laws amplified challenges, enabling charges for "justifying " over commentary on actions like Mikhail Zhlobitsky's 2018 bombing, leading to further arrests of Autonomous Action sympathizers. In response to these pressures, Autonomous Action shifted toward clandestine media operations by 2022, while support networks like Moscow facilitated evacuations of persecuted members, though Russian authorities in 2024 labeled international entities "undesirable," criminalizing any association. Critics, including groups, argue these measures reflect systemic judicial bias favoring state security narratives over evidence, with conviction rates in extremism cases exceeding 99% in political contexts.

Impact and Legacy

Influence on Broader Anarchist Movements

Autonomous Action, active primarily in from its founding in 2002 until its effective dissolution around 2015, exerted significant influence on domestic anarchist organizing by demonstrating the viability of federated, non-hierarchical networks for coordinating direct actions against state authority. As the largest anarchist formation in post-Soviet , comprising multiple regional branches and attracting predominantly young activists, it popularized tactics such as formations during anti-globalization protests and anti-fascist interventions, which became staples in Russian anarchist repertoires. This model emphasized practical over ideological purity, enabling participation in broader coalitions like environmental campaigns and labor , thereby sustaining anarchist visibility amid repression. Beyond Russia, its impact on international anarchist movements remained limited, largely confined to inspirational exchanges within Eastern European and post-Soviet contexts rather than transformative adoption. The group's anti-war publications, including critiques of Russian interventions in and , resonated with global anti-militarist anarchists, fostering sporadic solidarity networks through translations and shared platforms like The Anarchist Library. However, systemic isolation due to Russia's geopolitical stance and internal fractures—such as debates over versus insurrectionism—hindered broader diffusion, with émigré activists post-2014 carrying fragmented influences to European squats but without establishing enduring models. Critics within , including former affiliates, attribute to Autonomous Action a role in highlighting the pitfalls of over-reliance on and urban protest, prompting reflections in global networks on adapting autonomist strategies to authoritarian . Its eventual shift to a media-focused entity after underscores a of tactical , influencing discussions on as a tool for anarchist in censored environments.

Empirical Assessment of Effectiveness

Empirical evaluations of Autonomous Action's effectiveness are scarce, with no large-scale, independent studies quantifying its impacts on Russian society or anarchist objectives such as state abolition or widespread mutual aid networks. Available data, primarily from activist reports and academic overviews, indicate participation in direct actions and protests, but outcomes are marked by high repression and limited scalable influence amid Russia's authoritarian context. For instance, during the 2022 anti-war protests, Autonomous Action contributed to decentralized efforts against the Ukraine invasion, yet over 19,000 arrests nationwide highlighted the movement's vulnerability rather than mobilization success. In terms of protest efficacy, Autonomous Action's involvement in events like anti-Putin rallies and anti-fascist actions from the early onward yielded visibility and networks but rarely tangible shifts or mass defections from narratives. A 2018 academic analysis of contemporary Russian anarchists, including Autonomous Action, describes their as "taking every opportunity against the ," encompassing sporadic direct actions and alliances with broader left groups, yet notes persistent marginalization due to and internal fragmentation. Effectiveness metrics, such as participant turnout or sustained , remain anecdotal; for example, pre-2022 federated activities peaked as Russia's largest anarchist network but declined amid and disillusionment post-invasion. Mutual aid initiatives, a core focus, involved food distribution and prisoner support, but verifiable reach is undocumented in quantitative terms. Donations and networks sustained operations into 2024, enabling media output critical of the regime, yet the group's pivot to a publishing project reflects organizational contraction rather than expansion. This transition underscores causal constraints: state crackdowns, including asset seizures and exile, eroded physical presence, limiting empirical evidence of broader societal disruption. Overall, while Autonomous Action maintained ideological continuity and low-level resistance for over two decades, its effectiveness appears confined to niche counter-information and survival, with no demonstrated causal links to reduced authoritarianism or scaled anarchist practices in Russia.

Current Status as Media Project (Post-2022)

Following 's full-scale invasion of on February 24, 2022, Autonomous Action restructured its operations amid intensified state repression, including laws criminalizing "discreditation" of the military and "spreading false information" about the conflict, which curtailed physical direct actions and protests. The group explicitly shifted to functioning as a libertarian-communist project, focusing on online dissemination of anarchist analyses, news reports, and advocacy for political prisoners. This transition emphasized digital platforms for reaching Russian-speaking audiences inside , in exile, and abroad, while avoiding on-the-ground organizing that could trigger immediate arrests under expanded anti-extremism statutes. As of 2025, Autonomous Action maintains an active website (avtonom.org) publishing multilingual content in Russian and English, including updates on anarchist and anti-fascist detainees, such as the October 2025 trial of Alexander Snezhkov in Chita on charges linked to alleged subversive activities. The project coordinates fundraising for prisoner support through networks like the Anarchist Black Cross, which reported depleted funds by late 2022 but continued appeals into subsequent years. It also documents sporadic anti-war direct actions, such as leaflet distributions protesting the invasion, framing the Russian state as the primary aggressor in post-Soviet without endorsing or involvement. The media efforts prioritize anti-authoritarian critiques of the war, rejecting alignment with any state and advocating self-organization against conscription and mobilization. By early 2025, the initiative described itself as a decentralized community of anarchists—some remaining in Russia under surveillance, others in temporary or permanent exile—sustaining the project through voluntary contributions and content production despite risks of prosecution for "undesirable organization" affiliations. This online persistence contrasts with pre-2022 federation activities, reflecting adaptation to a repressive environment where physical mutual aid and protests face severe penalties, including up to 15-year sentences for sabotage-related charges.

References

  1. [1]
    Support the revolutionary media struggling in Russia
    Apr 24, 2023 · "Autonomous Action" is an anarchist organization founded in 2002. Our goal is to lay the groundwork for a new culture built on self ...
  2. [2]
    Support avtonom.org, revolutionary media struggling inside Russia
    Aug 16, 2022 · Autonomous Action is an organisation of anarchists and libertarian communists, founded in year 2002. Our goal is to create basis for a new ...
  3. [3]
    Autonomous Action - anarchists, libertarian communists, antifa ...
    Autonomous Action - anarchists, libertarian communists, antifa | News on anarchism, antifascism, protest actions in Russia. No to war!Missing: group | Show results with:group
  4. [4]
    Autonomous Action - Libcom.org
    Autonomous Action is an organisation of anarchists and libertarian communists, founded in year 2002. Our goal is to create basis for a new culture.Missing: group | Show results with:group
  5. [5]
    Anti-war statement | Autonomous Action - Автономное Действие
    Aug 29, 2024 · Our position on the war in Ukraine "Autonomous Action" is not on the side of the Ukrainian state - and not on the side of any other state.
  6. [6]
    Avtonom.org is now officially blocked in Russia | Autonomous Action
    Apr 8, 2022 · Avtonom.org is now officially blocked in Russia ... “Autonomous Action” (Avtonom) has always been a group that spreads anarchism in the Russian- ...
  7. [7]
    Manifesto of Autonomous Action - Wiki of libertarian communism ...
    Oct 19, 2016 · This is why for us libertarian (free, stateless, self-governed) communism, a society without domination, is the necessary structure of society.Missing: core tenets
  8. [8]
  9. [9]
    Anarchism in Russia | The Anarchist Library
    Autonomous Action produces a magazine, “Avtonom”, which is published in several thousand copies and is the biggest in Russia, although there are also some ...
  10. [10]
  11. [11]
    Автономное действие - metal-archive.
    ... 2002 года. 25—27 января 2002 года в Нижнем Новгороде прошёл 1-й Учредительный съезд движения. Основные принципы, объединяющие участников организации ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  12. [12]
    A-Infos (en) Rusia, Autonomus Action ('Avtonomnoe Deystvie', AD ...
    Jan 19, 2004 · Armenia and Kazakhstan. Our manifesto declares such basic principles struggle as antiauthoritarism, anticapitalism, antibolshevism ...
  13. [13]
    My visit to Leiden | The Anarchist Library
    When we again began questioning our participation to the Noborder in the spring of 2002, Southern groups of Autonomous Action began to organise anti-deportation ...
  14. [14]
    Avtonom: Journal of Autonomous Action
    Nov 28, 2009 · Avtonom is a journal of libertarian communist organisation Autonomous Action, which has local groups in nearly 15 cities of Russia and Ukraine.Missing: 2006-2013 | Show results with:2006-2013
  15. [15]
    Лето-осень 2006: эпизодическая хроника | Autonomous Action
    Jul 5, 2009 · За лето и осень в России прошло немало (около) либертарных мероприятий, больших и маленьких. Все их упомянуть невозможно ввиду дефицита ...
  16. [16]
    Russian Anarchism Today
    Jun 8, 2014 · Here I present a statement of principles by Autonomous Action, to give a flavour of contemporary anarchist movements in Russia.
  17. [17]
    ABC-Moscow: Repressions summary for January-February 2014
    Apr 7, 2014 · In the November, court of Tyumen suddenly decided to declare three old issues of Avtonom magazine (29, 32, and 33) as "extremist". According to ...Missing: adaptation | Show results with:adaptation
  18. [18]
    “The Network”: how Russian security services are ... - openDemocracy
    Apr 27, 2018 · ... anarchist group Autonomous Action's magazine. Boyarshinov was arrested during a narcotics raid, and 400g of black gunpowder was found on his ...
  19. [19]
    Crushing the anarchists Following a suicide attack on the FSB ...
    Apr 18, 2019 · ... (Autonomous Action), which formed in 2002 with the goal of destroying the state and all its institutions. Sources in Russia's anarchist ...
  20. [20]
    Russia's Anti-War Protesters Are Facing Unprecedented Repression
    Mar 17, 2022 · “You can't say this is a protest movement limited to capital cities,” a member of Autonomous Action (AD)—a movement of anarchists and ...
  21. [21]
    Review of repressions against anarchists in Russia - 2017 and first ...
    Mar 2, 2018 · ... repression of anarchists by Russian state in 2017 and early 2018. ... Write him a letter! > > > Autonomous Action in Telegram Autonomous Action in ...
  22. [22]
  23. [23]
  24. [24]
    Dmitry Petrov – The Path of an Anarchist | Autonomous Action
    Feb 13, 2024 · The 2008-2013 wave of Russian insurrectionist anarchism had three sources of inspiration. In the first place was the lawlessness of the cops ...
  25. [25]
    (PDF) Taking every opportunity against the state - Anarchists in ...
    ... anarchist core issue of. workers'rights and the labour movement is difficult to act upon in Russia. There was some opportunity for engagement when strikes and ...Missing: expansion | Show results with:expansion
  26. [26]
    Контакты - анархисты, либертарные коммунисты, антифа
    Nov 15, 2008 · Региональные отделения АД ; Владивосток (Приморский край): a-avtonom_vl@riseup.net ; Иркутск: a.volokos@gmail.com ; Краснодар: krasn@avtonom.org ...
  27. [27]
    Российские анархисты. Сегодня, здесь, сейчас - Рабкор.ру
    Oct 10, 2008 · На территории России АД имеет более 10 региональных отделений и большое число индивидуальных участников. При этом бывают случаи, когда отдельные ...
  28. [28]
  29. [29]
    Авторские колонки - anarchists, libertarian communists, antifa
    A veteran of the anarchist and anti-fascist movement of Ukraine, Maxim Butkevich, has been a prisoner of war of the Russian army for two years. Anarchists could ...Missing: publications | Show results with:publications
  30. [30]
    Автоном | Autonomous Action - anarchists, libertarian communists ...
    Nov 16, 2011 · Avtonom is journal of libertarian communist organisation Autonomous Action, which has local groups in 14 cities of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.Missing: manifesto | Show results with:manifesto
  31. [31]
    A new issue of the journal AVTON "(№ 32) | Autonomous Action ...
    A new issue of the journal AVTON! № 32 (Winter 2011.g) AVTON, most large-circulation anarchist journal in the FSU. "AVTON" - the magazine of the movement ...
  32. [32]
    Новости журнала "Автоном" | Autonomous Action
    Autonomous Action is an organisation of anarchists and libertarian communists, founded in year 2002. Our goal is to create basis for a new culture, ...
  33. [33]
    My article “On anarchism and violence” is now banned in Russia
    Dec 7, 2013 · My article “on anarchism and violence” was published in issue 33 of Avtonom journal in autumn of 2011, and also in 5th issue of Finnish ...Missing: publications | Show results with:publications
  34. [34]
    «Autonomous Action»: support and take part | Autonomous Action
    Feb 1, 2025 · The «Autonomous Action» Media Group is a community of Russian-speaking anarchists located in Russia, forced to leave it temporarily or living in ...
  35. [35]
    Чем Автономное Действие отличается от Ассоциации Движений ...
    Mar 18, 2009 · ... акциями прямого действия (продолжавшаяся более недели оккупация площадки на заводской трубе, из которой шли фенольные выбросы, столкновения ...
  36. [36]
    Anarchist and anti-fascist prisoners in Russia - Αναρχικοί και ...
    Jul 6, 2025 · ... protest to underground direct action. As legal restrictions and. ... Autonomous Action in Telegram Autonomous Action in Mastodon ...
  37. [37]
    Автономное Действие - Иркутск - Автономное Действие
    18 января в Иркутске прошел антифашистский марш. Акция была посвящена памяти адвоката Станислава Маркелова и журналистки Анастасии Бабуровой, погибших от рук ...<|separator|>
  38. [38]
  39. [39]
    Solidarity zone: What did we do in February? | Autonomous Action
    Mar 8, 2023 · Throughout February, like the previous months, we worked day in and day out, covering the persecution and providing support for those ...
  40. [40]
    Зона солидарности»: сбор на работу инициативы
    Sep 23, 2025 · «Зона солидарности», оказывающая поддержку российским антивоенным заключённым, запустила сбор на следующие три месяца работы инициативы.
  41. [41]
    Дружба, солидарность, надежда: как устроены группы поддержки ...
    May 17, 2024 · Они поддерживают связь с родственниками политзаключенного, находят адвоката и деньги на него, занимаются передачками, общаются со СМИ, ...
  42. [42]
    Автономное Действие - Facebook
    Автономное Действие. 3119 likes · 116 talking about this. Против власти, капитала и нищеты повседневной жизни! фб на английском: Autonomous Action.
  43. [43]
    Anarchism on the periphery: struggle under conditions of emigration ...
    Nov 13, 2024 · In this article we examine the current situation of the anarchist movement in the Russian Federation and in emigration, draw conclusions about ...
  44. [44]
    [PDF] Program of the festival Father Frost against putin 2025
    anarchists and left-wing activists in emigration, and projects such as mutual aid, reading groups and independent media. Language Russian, with a ...<|separator|>
  45. [45]
    Through war, despotism and social change: Russia's Anarchist ...
    Aug 30, 2024 · “We support all anti-authoritarians, and their supporters who are persecuted due to their political activities or acts which do not contradict ...
  46. [46]
    Анархический Чёрный крест | Autonomous Action
    Apr 29, 2012 · This year, ABC-Moscow carried out three successful evacuations of anarchists facing criminal charges in Russia. Security forces wanted to send ...
  47. [47]
    Support ABC-Moscow to evacuate persecuted anarchists from Russia
    Sep 7, 2025 · This year, ABC-Moscow carried out three successful evacuations of anarchists facing criminal charges in Russia. Security forces wanted to ...Missing: aid | Show results with:aid
  48. [48]
    How the Russian Left Survived in a Post‑Soviet World
    Jan 12, 2022 · In response to the violence of the ultraright, the youth Antifa movement emerged, originally led by the activists of the anarchist Autonomous ...
  49. [49]
    Notes of a co-conspirator | The Anarchist Library
    Nov 16, 2011 · Now most of the hip-hop, punk, ska and hardcore are more or less anti-fascist, but back then, antifa-scene was totally underground, secret and ...Missing: successes | Show results with:successes
  50. [50]
    Интервью | Autonomous Action - anarchists, libertarian communists ...
    Jun 18, 2025 · We got in touch with several anarchist comrades to talk about the recent protests on the streets of different cities in Russia: looked into ...
  51. [51]
    A Russian Anarchist on the Ukraine War | Autonomous Action
    Mar 23, 2022 · This week, The Final Straw Radio spoke with Petr, a Russian anarchist member of the group Autonomous Action, who is living in Europe right now.
  52. [52]
    Дмитрий Петров – путь анархиста - Автономное Действие
    Oct 25, 2023 · В 2008 году в КРАС-МПСТ вызрел внутренний конфликт, который расколол организацию целиком. Часть участников обвиняли Диму в национализме из ...
  53. [53]
    Против аннексий и имперской агрессии | Автономное Действие
    Feb 22, 2022 · В первую очередь это попытка российской авторитарной власти решить свои внутренние проблемы за счёт "маленькой победоносной войны с собиранием ...
  54. [54]
    Анархизм на периферии: борьба в условиях эмиграции и войны
    Nov 8, 2024 · Вместо этого с развалом Автономного Действия мы пришли к разочарованию, безыдейности и вражде, которые раздробили анархистское движение в России ...<|separator|>
  55. [55]
    A Call for Solidarity with the Avtonom-journal, several issues of ...
    Dec 3, 2013 · “The distribution of extremist materials” is punished according to the “Administrative codex”, which is the rough equivalent of a misdemeanor.
  56. [56]
    Russia's Extremism Law Violates Human Rights - The Moscow Times
    Nov 26, 2014 · Russia's lists of materials banned as extremist reached 2,241 items this year. ... These actions are direct attempts to silence independent ...
  57. [57]
    Contradictions journal > Inquiry: Anarchists and the War in Ukraine
    As for the other anarchist organization, Autonomous Action, they barely managed to issue a cautious condemnation of Russian aggression on the eve of the full- ...
  58. [58]
    Moscow Autonomous Action on the Ukrainian war - Libcom.org
    Oct 19, 2014 · Anyway, our organization ("Autonomous Action") mostly agrees to this anti-war statement of left-wing movements. We do not support Ukrainian ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  59. [59]
    [PDF] The Anarchists in the Russian Revolution and Civil War
    All of the various Russian anarchist groups were heavily, indeed over- whelmingly, influenced by the writings of the two great anarchist thinkers of the.
  60. [60]
    Russia jails members of 'non-existent' terror group Set - BBC
    Feb 10, 2020 · A court in the city of Penza sentenced the men - said to be part of a group known as Set, meaning Network - to between six and 18 years in penal ...
  61. [61]
    Russian antifascist group given 'monstrous' jail terms - The Guardian
    Feb 10, 2020 · Dmitry Pchelintsev, 27, an antifascist activist from Penza, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for allegedly creating the Network. He and his ...
  62. [62]
    Russia jails anarchists accused of planning World Cup attacks | News
    Feb 10, 2020 · A Russian court has imposed jail terms ranging from six to 18 years against seven left-wing campaigners after finding them guilty of “terrorism” ...
  63. [63]
    Russia: harsh sentences after a show trial
    Feb 12, 2020 · On 10 February, the Volga District Military Court sentenced seven representatives of leftist-anarchist groups from Penza and St. Petersburg ...
  64. [64]
    Russia's 'Heinous' Sentencing Of Activists Sparks Outrage - RFE/RL
    Feb 11, 2020 · A Russian regional court's "heinous" sentencing of seven activists to long prison terms has ignited outrage on social media, ...
  65. [65]
    «The Tyumen Case». What's the status? | Autonomous Action
    Jun 6, 2025 · Six anarchists and anti-fascists were arrested in Surgut, Yekaterinburg, and Tyumen. All of them were subjected to severe torture including electric shocks, ...
  66. [66]
    Resisting War and Repression in Putin's Russia - CounterPunch.org
    Jan 27, 2023 · The Tyumen case is just one example of government acts of repression against young anarchists in different cities of the country in recent ...
  67. [67]
    Anarchist Black Cross Moscow update on anarchist and anti-fascist ...
    Aug 31, 2024 · Recall that Denis was prosecuted for "justification of terrorism" due to commenting about Mikhail Zhlobitsky, anarchist who bombed FSB offices ...
  68. [68]
    Russian Authorities Consider Any Anarchist Black Cross Groups an ...
    Jul 11, 2025 · At the beginning of 2024, the Russian Ministry of Justice added the American Anarchist Black Cross Federation to its list of “undesirable ...
  69. [69]
    Russia: Repressive Laws Used to Crush Civic Freedoms
    Aug 7, 2024 · These laws severely restrict the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and impose state-enforced historical, social, and ...Missing: Autonomous | Show results with:Autonomous
  70. [70]
    LONG READ - Trying to stop the war: the Russian underground ...
    Feb 28, 2023 · Since 2000, anarchist group Autonomous Action has existed for almost 15 years, making it the largest organisation in the movement. However, the ...
  71. [71]
    Anarchists and the second Chechen war - Libcom.org
    Mar 13, 2010 · Detailed article on the war in Chechnya and historical background in the northern Caucasus from an anarchist perspective by Autonomous Action.
  72. [72]
    Anti-war statement | The Anarchist Library
    and not on the side of any other state.
  73. [73]
    Анархизм как проблема анархизма? - Автономное Действие
    Mar 31, 2023 · Отсутствие политики внутри рабочего движения в первую очередь обусловлено репрессиями со стороны беларуского государства, преодолеть которые ...
  74. [74]
    Russia's Anti-War Protesters Are Facing Unprecedented Repression
    Mar 31, 2022 · ... libertarian communists in the former Soviet Union—wrote to us via an ... In the movement's manifesto, which Kalk helped translate, they ...
  75. [75]
    Russia: Mobilization and Resistance : Can the Russian Anti-War ...
    Sep 26, 2022 · If you are looking for ways to support anarchists organizing in Russia, consider donating to avtonom.org, arguably the chief Russian anarchist ...
  76. [76]
    From Representation to Sabotage: The New Practices of Russian ...
    Dec 6, 2023 · The new antiwar groups seek to demonstrate the existence of a broad decentralized movement, but one that continues, rather than disrupts, historical narratives.
  77. [77]
    Moscow Anarchist Black Cross updates, May 2022
    May 2, 2022 · Two men were arrested in the center of Moscow, close to an anti-war action. According to prosecution, they were armed with Molotov cocktails.
  78. [78]
    In Chita a new trial starts against Alexander Snezhkov
    Oct 18, 2025 · On October 22, 2025, the Second District Military Court in Chita will start hearing a new criminal case against anarchist Alexander Snezhkov ...
  79. [79]
    Anarchist Black Cross Moscow update on anti-war prisoners
    Dec 1, 2022 · However, as of October 2022 we have run out of almost all funds to support anti-war prisoners and we decided to launch a fundraising effort on ...<|separator|>
  80. [80]
    Russian Authorities Consider Any Anarchist Black Cross Groups an ...
    Jul 11, 2025 · ... autonomous, and Russian groups have never been part of the American federation. ... Extremist Organization in Saxony Default Thumbnail Anarchist ...
  81. [81]
    Update on Russian anti-war direct actions and anti-war prisoners
    Apr 11, 2023 · After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there has been an unprecended wave of direct actions, targeted at military call-up centers, the FSB ...