Post-Soviet Left (PSL)

We demand the immediate release of Artyom Kirpichyonok!

A month ago, Artyom Kirpichyonok—a journalist, Middle East specialist, and leftist activist—was detained by Israeli security services at Tel Aviv airport and subsequently taken into custody. For nearly 20 days, his legal status remained unknown, and he was denied access to a lawyer for an extended period. Ultimately, Israeli law enforcement authorities charged him with “committing crimes against state security.”

During a meeting with his lawyer, Artyom described the conditions of his detention and the prolonged interrogations—which violate international conventions, as sleep deprivation constitutes torture—as well as his confinement in a cell with the lights left on around the clock and a ban on possessing writing materials or books. His defense counsel also stated that investigators repeatedly employed psychological pressure tactics, threatening him with life imprisonment and claiming that he had no public support.

After a month in custody, investigative proceedings were carried out, and the case was soon referred to court for a trial on the merits. The formal indictment is expected to be approved shortly, at which point the details of the case will be revealed.
Based on publicly available information, it can be concluded that the case against Artyom Kirpichyonok is political in nature, stemming from his principled criticism of Israel’s policies regarding Palestinians and his public condemnation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in several of his works.

Repression against dissent occurs not only in Russia, Ukraine, and other post-Soviet states but also in Israel—a country that describes itself as a “democratic state governed by the rule of law.”

Post-Soviet Left demands the immediate release of Artem Kirpichenok, as well as adherence to proper detention standards, in light of the violations of his rights while held in the custody of the Israeli security service, Shin Bet (Shabak).
We also call upon left-wing parties and organizations across Europe to join the solidarity campaign en masse and demand Artem Kirpichenok’s release!
In addition to this statement, we ask our supporters to sign the petition demanding Artem Kirpichenok’s release!

Freedom for all political prisoners! Solidarity knows no borders!

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Cologne!

Tomorrow at 4:30 PM, we will be speaking at the "Rheinmetall entwaffnen" (Disarm Rheinmetall) camp!

We will discuss:

– the war in Ukraine;
– resistance to it;
– prospects for left-wing organizing in exile, in Ukraine, and in Russia, as well as cooperation with the Western Left.

During the event, you can also chat with our activists and ask questions about our work in Germany and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Address: Wiese am Fernsehturm/Colonius, Venloerstr. 130; coordinates: 50.94505° N, 6.93171° E (https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/50.94505/6.93171)

You can find us at the site in tent #5.

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✊ Freedom for for Alisa Sadovnikova and Sergey Sadovnikov!

Alisa and Sergey Sadovnikov are Russian medics who deserted the military. After signing a contract and arriving at the war zone, they witnessed the conflict's true nature and decided to desert.

They spent some time in hiding before coming across the story of the "Tverdyi Znak" project, which inspired them to make their own escape.

🚤 Alisa and Sergey crossed the Black Sea in a two-person kayak. Setting off from the Black Sea coast in the Krasnodar region, they covered 332 kilometers by sea and reached Turkey safely. They had prepared meticulously, removing as many metal parts as possible to avoid detection by radar.

The ordeal was grueling: the saltwater caused sores and infections on their hands. Yet, they made it to Turkey. However, staying there was not safe either. They decided to try to reach Spain, as it is the only European country with a relatively favorable attitude toward undocumented migrants.

The Sadovnikovs traveled across Turkey and attempted to cross the Mediterranean to Greece, planning to continue to Italy and then travel further on foot.

They were just 3 kilometers from the Greek shore when Greek border guards robbed them—stealing their money, belongings, documents, and paddles—and cast them adrift in the open sea in their kayak, leaving them with virtually no means of survival. Only their documents were left behind.

But Alisa and Sergey survived. They drifted back to the Turkish coast, where they were detained by Turkish border guards. They are currently being held in a deportation center.

❗️Their fate is now being decided. Our comrades from the "Tverdy Znak" project have set a goal (https://t.me/tverdeey_znak/1674) to secure deportation to Armenia (otherwise, they face deportation to Russia).

📣 Maximum publicity for the situation is urgently needed, as well as a lawyer and human rights defenders working in Turkey.

We call on everyone to show solidarity and spread the word. Public awareness is crucial right now.

Sign the petition supporting the right to desert to EU countries: https://deserters.org/

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"Verweigert euch! Antimilitaristische Perspektiven auf die kriegerische Gegenwart."

Buchvorstellung der Interventionistischen Linken gemeinsam mit Genoss*innen von Post Soviet Left
30.07. um 19 Uhr im Kölibri

Zahllose Bewegungen weltweit, die sich für eine befreite Gesellschaft einsetzen, sind vor die Frage gestellt, wie sie sich dem Krieg und seiner Logik entziehen und weiterhin für ein würdevolles Morgen für alle streiten können. Denn es sind gerade diese Kämpfe 'von unten', in denen sich der Horizont eines Friedens auftut. Ein Frieden, der gegen die Verhältnisse erkämpft wird, die den Krieg erst hervorbringen.

Post-Soviet Left (PSL) ist eine Organisation von Migrant*innen aus postsowjetischen Ländern (Russland, Ukraine, Weißrussland, Zentralasien, Südkaukasus), die genau das tut. Sie kämpfen für Kriegsuntüchtigkeit auf allen Seiten der Front und unterstützen in diesem Zusammenhang auch Kriegsdienstverweiger*innen und Desertierende (https://deserters.org/)

Der Sammelband "Verweigert euch!", der von iL-Genoss*innen aus Frankfurt a.M. herausgegeben wird, versteht sich ebenfalls als Beitrag zu einer antimilitaristischen Suchbewegung nach Mitteln und Möglichkeiten, der Ausweitung kriegerischer Gewalt in unserer Gegenwart und ihren transnational verwobenen Verhältnissen etwas entgegenzusetzen.

Gemeinsam wollen wir diskutieren: wenn sich Herrschende auf allen Seiten aufrüsten und uns in den Krieg schicken wollen, wie müssen wir dann unseren gemeinsamen Widerspruch und Widerstand organisieren?

📅 30.07., 19 Uhr
📍 Kölibri, Hein-Köllisch-Platz 11 + 12, 20359 Hamburg

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Speech by PSL activist Andrei Demidov at the anti-war congress in London June 20, 2026.

Salut camarades! 

I represent the Post-Soviet Left Union and the Russian-Ukrainian coalition Peace from Below.
But at  first I am a person from Russia.

My comrades are sitting in Putin's prisons.
Others continue anti-war work underground and cannot reveal their names.

The western media and political elites constantly repeat that there is no resistance to the war in Russia.

This is not true. 

After four years of war, resistance to it finally becomes massive.

But this is rarely an open protest.
More very often this  is "the weapons of the weak."
Sabotage.
Draft evasion.
Desertion.
Refusal to take part in the war.

Today, thousands of Russians ask courts to send them to prison for desertion rather than return to the trenches.
But most deserters are simply forced back to the front.
We know of at least one hundred twenty thousand cases of desertion since the beginning of the war.

So What is Putin's main problem today?

Putin's main problem is a shortage of people willing to fight.
People are resisting.
Quietly.
Individually.
Often without organization or political representation.

And it is precisely this passive resistance of millions that is becoming the greatest threat to Putin's war machine. That is why we are launching an international campaign of solidarity with Russian deserters.

But Putin's regime has found an unexpected ally -
Western governments.
A few days ago, Ursula von der Leyen declared:
"Europe remains closed to anyone who participated in the invasion of Ukraine. As simple as that."
But it is not simple at all.
Who exactly is she talking about?
Russian soldiers who refused to fight.
People who laid down their weapons.
Deserters fleeing Putin's army.

Putin persecutes these people.
Military police hunt them down.
And now European governments want to punish them as well.

Why they help Putin's regime keep soldiers at the front?
The answer is simple.
It follows from the logic of militarization.
Because endless increases in military spending require not a human being on the other side of the front line, but an existential enemy.

But this same logic helps Putin stay in power.
Because fear of defeat is his most important political resource.
Millions of people remain loyal to the regime not because they love the war.
But because they fear what will come after defeat.

That is why Russians must be offered peace, not defeat.
That is why supporting deserters is not a humanitarian gesture.
It is a political strategy.

We show millions of Russians that on the other side of the border they will find allies, not only sanctions and punishment.
We show them that another future is possible.
Not military victory.
Not a deal between rulers.
But peace from below.
A peace based on self-determination, democracy, and solidarity between peoples.

Speech by PSL activist Igor Romanchuk at the anti-war congress in London on June 20, 2026.

I am a Ukrainian I’ve spent most of my life in Ukraine – a country where Russian bombs and missiles continue to kill civilians, and millions have been forced to flee their homes to escape the horrors of war. But acknowledging this fact does not imply support for the Ukrainian oligarchs, the Ukrainian government or the policies they pursue.

All too often, we are presented with a false choice. We are told: either you support Zelenskyy, or you support Putin. Either Russian chauvinism, or Ukrainian nationalism. Either one ruling elite, or the other.

The elites use wars to their advantage, while ordinary people pay the price.

Whilst Ukrainian elites buy themselves luxury apartments in Monaco and country estates near Kyiv, the cost of the war falls on the shoulders of workers, students, pensioners and poor families. It falls on the shoulders of those whom the Ukrainian authorities mobilise against their will, every single day! Those who oppose these policies in Ukraine today face criminal prosecution and imprisonment.

📍In March this year, Ukrainian pacif st Yuriy Shelyazhenko was detained, denied access to his lawyer and later reported physical abuse. He remains under criminal prosecution for his anti-war views.

📍Left-wing activist Bohdan Sirotiuk has been imprisoned since 2024 for opposing NATO and calling for solidarity between Ukrainian and Russian workers.

📍Earlier this week, Natalia Kozachenko, a mother of a minor child, was sentenced to five years in prison for criticizing Zelenskyy on social media.

Real solidarity with Ukraine means supporting the Ukrainian people, and not their regime! Any military or financial support that ignores these issues is a crime against the people of Ukraine!

Ukrainians want to defend their homes, families and freedom of choice. But what ‘freedom” should they sacrifice their lives for, when all they see around them is poverty, injustice, and political repression? The key question is not how to force the Ukrainians to fight, but what kind of Ukraine would they actually want to defend. A Ukraine without forced mobilisation, linguistic discrimination and political repression. A Ukraine that belongs to the majority, not to oligarchs and political elites. A Ukraine that strives for peace, not endless war and dictatorship.

Immediate peace is the primary interest of Ukrainian people, not capitulation, as our ruling class is trying to portray. If the Russian leadership rejects the peace, we must seek allies within Russian society – among deserters, draft dodgers, anti-war activists, migrants and all those who oppose this war. Russian deserters are not enemies of the Ukrainian people, but natural allies in the struggle against the war. Those who refuse to fight need legal protection, safe passage and support to rebuild their lives.

Working people from all over the world are caught between the Western and anti-Western imperialisms, which differ only in the faces at the top. This is why a strong international anti-war movement is needed now more than ever.

It must unite those whom the borders, nationalism and war seek to divide. It must show that there is an alternative to endless war based on the shared interests of ordinary people on both sides of the front line.

It must break the elites’ monopoly over public voices and narratives. We call on all conference participants to join anti-war internationalist movements, organise in trade unions and activist groups, support conscientious objectors, deserters, refugees and all those resisting war from below regardless of their nationality.

As Peace from Below and Post-Soviet left, we oppose Russian imperialism, NATO militarism, the Israeli occupation and any policy that sacrifices ordinary people to the interests of states and oligarchs.

We stand for an immediate end to the war, political freedoms and a decent life for the majority. We stand for international workers’ solidarity. For the peace from below.

‼️Post-Soviet Left at the 2026 International Anti-War Conference

The International Anti-War Conference took place in London from 19 to 20 June. It was attended by delegates from trade unions, political parties and civil society organisations from all over the world — from the Congo to the USA.
According to the organisers’ estimates, several thousand people attended the event.

📍We also took part in the conference and were able to put forward a left-wing internationalist perspective on the war. We opposed the interests of the Russian and Ukrainian ruling classes and called for support for deserters and conscientious objectors on both sides of the front line.

📝We managed to secure support for the desertion campaign from a number of left-wing parties and trade unions, as well as from such legendary figures as Tariq Ali, who led the movement in solidarity with American deserters during the Vietnam War.

Berlin: Come show your support against repression!

🇵🇸 Two years ago, university protests took place in the city against the genocide in Gaza committed by Israeli forces. A year ago, we reported that a comrade from our organization had been charged under Section 86a (use of symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations) for the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The protests were met with massive police violence, and the persecution continues to this day.

This slogan is widely used by leftist forces around the world; it expresses a demand for a secular, multi-ethnic Palestine—a state for all people living within its territory, including Jews. The slogan is directed against occupation and colonization and contains no antisemitism. The idea of ​​a bi-national state was long championed by the socialist forces that dominated the Palestinian movement—specifically as a project for a secular, multi-ethnic, and socialist Palestine.

❗️Why this matters:

👮‍♂️ Repression and total control within universities undermine free thought and critical thinking—the foundations of a liberal arts education. Migrants are particularly affected, facing the threat of expulsion and deportation.

➡️ Last year, the trial ended in an acquittal. However, the prosecution has now appealed the verdict. In total, our comrade faces up to 100 days of detention and a ban on teaching. For young academics, a ban on working deals a devastating blow to their careers.

✊ There is no place for violence, occupation, ethnic nationalism, or colonization. Likewise, there is no place for the persecution of leftist activists—whether in the post-Soviet space or in the West.

We call on everyone who can to come to the court and show that solidarity is stronger than intimidation. When and where:

🕜 Thursday, June 18, 2026. The session starts at 1:30 PM, but it is best to arrive 30 minutes early to allow time to enter the hall.

📍Sitzungssaal B306, 3rd Floor
Wilsnacker Straße 4, 10559 Berlin

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🟥 Kassel, tomorrow!

This weekend, an antimilitarist conference is taking place here, with participants from different cities across Germany and international guests.

We are also actively taking part in it. Tomorrow, June 6, from 13:45 to 15:10, we will speak at a session on recruitment, conscientious objection, and desertion in Russia and Ukraine.

We will talk about the situation on both sides of the front, our work, and how the Western left can be an ally to left-wing movements in Russia and Ukraine.

A discussion is planned after the presentation.

📍 Kassel, Stadtteilzentrum Vorderer Westen
Elfbuchenstraße 3, 34119
🗓 Saturday, June 6
🕐 13:45

Come along!

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‼️ ATTENTION! ‼️

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the meeting has been moved to 4:00 PM!

On the bright side, we’ll have more time for informal networking afterwards 😉

📕 Unheard Voices — now available in German!

The German translation of our collection about left-wing political prisoners in Russia, how to support them, and how to continue the struggle has just been released.

It is now available on our website alongside the Russian, English, and French versions.

If you would like to help translate the brochure into other languages, assist with distribution, or organize a presentation in your city, contact us through our bot!

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🟥 Germany, Erfurt!

🔥 "Fractured Societies – Shared Struggles?". Leftist Responses to the War in Russia and Ukraine

On May 29, 2026, we will host a meeting featuring activists from the PSL—hailing from both Ukraine and Russia.

We will present reports covering:
⏺ the imperialist war in Ukraine;
⏺ the transformation of Russian and Ukrainian societies;
⏺ repression and emigration;
⏺ militarization and the crisis of the Left in both countries following February 24, 2022.

We will also discuss:
⏺ how political regimes have shifted and how repression against dissenters has intensified;
⏺ the forms of resistance and self-organization that have emerged both within these countries and among those in exile;

as well as engage in a discussion regarding the possibilities for a just peace and international solidarity from below.

We invite anyone currently in Thuringia who speaks German to join us for this meeting.

Amidst war, nationalism, and authoritarianism, it is especially vital to preserve a space for critical dialogue, international solidarity, and collective struggle.

✊ Admission is free.
🗣 Language: German.
📍 Die Linke Stadtverband Erfurt, Magdeburger Allee 134
🕔 May 29, 2026, 16:00

IMPORTANT: we've updated the time of the event.

Save the date!

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❗️The Netherlands!

🚌 This Sunday, May 17th, we're heading to Nijmegen. In collaboration with the local branch of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), we're presenting our work "Unheard Voices"—a collection of stories about leftist political prisoners in Russia.

During this presentation, we'll discuss:

• the lives of Russian leftist political prisoners;
• leftist resistance in Russia and ways to resist war, dictatorship, and capitalism;
• the organization of leftist émigrés in the Netherlands;
• our organization's experience and collaboration with local leftists.

The event will be in English (with Russian translation upon request).

🕔May 17th, 1:30 PM
📍Sint Annastraat 48

Save the date!

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On the eve of Liberation Day, we invite you to a screening of the documentary "World White Hate" (2025), which explores how modern neo-Nazism has evolved into a global, sprawling network thanks to new media.

For post-Soviet migrants, memories of the war and anti-fascism are an important part of their cultural and historical experience. Today, across Europe, right-wing movements are gaining strength again and taking on new forms. We invite you to discuss how fascism is changing, adapting to the digital environment, and why it is finding a new audience. And most importantly, what can be done about it.

🎬 Film in German with English subtitles

Thursday, May 7, 8:30 PM

📍 Emergency Project Room
Brunnenstr 43, 10115 Berlin

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🟥 May Day: Come out with us!

📣We unite people from the post-Soviet space for joint work and mutual assistance in European countries. And this year, we will march together with our allies to show that leftist emigration from post-Soviet countries is fighting and developing!

🚩Our main agenda at the marches is against war and compromise with the ruling circles of all countries, for socialism in our countries and internationalism.

Our main actions:

📍Paris: 2:00 PM, Place de la République.

📍Berlin: 6:00 PM, Oranienpl., 10999 Berlin-Bezirk Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.

📍Cologne: 11:30 AM, DGB-Haus, Hans-Böckler-Platz.

We and our supporters will also participate in protests in other cities:

📍France (Lille, Troyes, Nantes);
📍Germany (Hamburg, Erfurt, Bremen, Essen);
📍USA (New York);
📍Austria (Vienna).

✊Want to join us? Want to learn more? Write to the bot and join people in your region! @postsovietleft_bot

We also call on everyone in other cities and countries to join in solidarity actions.

Our response to war and right-wing violence is organization!

Regarding Ilya Shkolny’s case, you can sign a petition against his deportation here.

Yes, this is not the most effective way to influence the German authorities, but it is at least something. And if you read the comments under the petition, you can feel even more sharply the cold indifference of German bureaucracy:

This man was my first German teacher. He voluntarily organized a German course for Russian-speaking asylum seekers at the initial reception center (Ankerzentrum). He has done far more for the integration of refugees and asylum seekers than the very agency that is supposed to handle this work.

For the migration regime, people are not living human beings with their own fates, but numbers and quotas in a report to be filled and exceeded.

As long as we remain silent, obediently accept what is happening, or “respond with understanding” to the current political course of the German authorities, we ourselves are helping create the same kind of authoritarianism that many people came here to escape.

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Russians Face Asylum Denial in Germany

Under chancellor Merz, refugee policy has tightened sharply, including toward Russians. Many had hoped the pressure would affect only “others.” Humanitarian visas have effectively been phased out, and deportations are being carried out through third countries. Not only ordinary migrants are at risk, but also activists, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those facing persecution in Russia.

The chances of Russians receiving protection in Germany are extremely low. At the same time, the authorities often ignore the real risks of being returned to Russia. Not long ago, there was a case in which an application was denied on the grounds that mobilization had supposedly already ended, and therefore returning to Russia posed no risk to the asylum seeker.

Deportations are carried out harshly: people are taken away without warning, given minimal time to pack, and sent to deportation centers or directly to the airport.
The stories of Georgy Avaliani and Ilya Shkolny show that these are not isolated cases, but part of a troubling trend. [...]

Read the full text on our website...

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