[New post] Anti-Putin Russian warns ‘you could be raped’ after fleeing Moscow with wife
olumorocktv posted: " Fearing for his safety, a Russian climate activist escaped Moscow and has spoken out about the degree of repression in his nation. Arshak Makichyan felt it was too dangerous to stay in his own country with his wife Polina Oleinikova, who he fears Vlad"
Fearing for his safety, a Russian climate activist escaped Moscow and has spoken out about the degree of repression in his nation.
Arshak Makichyan felt it was too dangerous to stay in his own country with his wife Polina Oleinikova, who he fears Vladimir Putin's forces could have targeted and tortured.
Now turning his attention to opposing the war in Ukraine, the young activist – who came to prominence for Greta Thunberg-esque environmental work – says Putin's cronies want the Russian people to 'feel terror'.
But Arshak believes the majority of Russians oppose the war – apart from those who are 'stupid' or 'brainwashed'.
The 27-year-old also suggested people in the western world do not understand how hard it is to oppose a regime he now describes as a dictatorship – and says many activists fear being imprisoned or raped.
Arshak says the war 'cancelled' all his eco work, but is now focussing his campaigning on pushing through an embargo on Russian fossil fuels, in a bid to end the conflict.
Having been detained and spied on himself, he is unsure when he will return to Russia – and admits he and his wife are questioning whether it would be 'stupid' to do so.
Arshak protesting with Greta Thunberg (Picture: @makichyan.arshak/Instagram)The activist has had various run ins with the police (Picture: @makichyan.arshak/Instagram)
Russia.
Arshak does not believe many people in the west understand what it is like to resist Vladimir Putin (Picture: @makichyan.arshak/Instagram)
'It's not that easy to fight', he explains.
'People in Europe, they don't understand how it feels to live in a dictatorship, they don't have this experience to fight an authoritarian regime.
'When you're going to trial and you didn't do anything wrong but they say there is no reason not to believe the police… You can be arrested for a year or for 10 years and you don't have the tools to defend yourself.
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