Ilya Romanov, a 46-years old Russian anarchist, was wounded on 26th of October 2013. According to authorities, this happened when a homemade bomb suddenly went off in his hands. The accident happened next to a building occupied by Russian Army draft office.
Local police stated that the homemade bomb exploded early in the morning on saturday in the hands of anarchist. His left hand was torn off. The man was placed in hospital.
Ilya Romanov was interrogated by the police. He claimed the “homemade explosive device” was in fact a firecracker.
Mass media were quick to report about police raid on Ilya’s apartement that turned up extremist literature and various chemical reagents used for manufacturing of explosive devices.
However, an alternate source claims that police failed to find anything of interest during the raid, instead cops confiscated an empty soda box, some elements of microscope belonging to Ilya’s 16 year old daughter, and a tin can with unknown white substance inside. However, police did confiscate an archive of oppositional press and Ilya’s personal letters (including letters from his time in prison during 2002-2012), his notebook and ID.
Ilya got involved in anarchist movement in late 80's in Nizhni Novgorod, which was back then named Gorky. One of his first actions in Soviet era was publication of an anarchist leaflet, almost every copy of which ended up to KGB archives.
This is third time he is suspected of involvement in armed struggle. First time he was detained in Moscow in October of 1998, as a suspected member of underground armed group "New Revolutionary Alternative". Eventually he was sentenced to involuntary treatment in mental hospital, and released in turn of year 2002.
Ilya did not spent long time in freedom, as already in December 2002 he was detained in Ukraine, as one of the suspected members of underground revolutionary organisation. Eventually he spent 10 years in prison. Charges against him included expropriations from jewelry stores and currency exchange offices, illegal trafficking of small arms, bombing of SBU (former KGB) office in Ukraine. 11 arrested were all tortured extremely heavy, 20 year old Sergey Berdyugin died from torture 1st of November 2003. Ilya declined all charges, claimed he was tortured both mentally and physically during pre-trial detention. He went on hunger strikes and cut his veins and neck with a razorblade in courtroom to protest inhumane treatment. He was released in December of 2012.
(originally translated here, few details added by avtonom.org)
Comments
People who support
People who support insurrectionalism should read this and have a good, long think. Above and beyond the ethical traps which abound in this form of politics, it should be recognised that insurrectionalism is a dead end. You're taking on the State at its strongest point - is there any wonder you lose?
Do we really think anarchists
Do we really think anarchists should be supporting people who bomb offices like this? Perhaps he was timing it so there'd be no one present. That's better obviously, but bombings are still just fucking stupid tactically, not to mention incredibly individualistic acts. I mean, Jesus, didn't we learn anything from propaganda by the deed? This sort of action just flies in the face of the collective, class based struggle that anarchists rightfully advocate.
iexist wrote: I guys been
iexist
Except that the only time you ever hear from insurrectionists is when they want our solidarity for State repression against them. Certainly we need to oppose the State repression, but we also need to point out that their politics often mixes acts of heroism with stupidity of truly criminal dimensions.
As perfectly illustrated by the case above.
The critique is crucial. If
The critique is crucial. If only Bakunin had given that shithouse Nechaev short shrift, the history of our movement might well have been quite different.
I am critical of the
I am critical of the organizations publicizing this. Not only for its constant promotion of masturbation politics, but also for policies of hiding important aspects of some things. Ie, this text was sent around in a longer form via email, but when published openly, it removed the part about this person's involvement with Stalinists. Many anarchists receive lots of "information" for this group, without learning about nationalists, authoritarian communists and others involved. We also don't get to hear about people who didn't support some previous things involving this person because of these reasons.
Without going into a critique of insurrectionalism or armed struggle, I just would comment that some of the biggest problems of Russian or Belarussian anarchists in recent years has been their own macho and sensationalist habits of talking to much, too openly, etc., and creating a subculture which is a haven for people who will get their comrades in trouble by their own stupidity.
I am critical of the
I am critical of the organizations publicizing this. Not only for its constant promotion of masturbation politics, but also for policies of hiding important aspects of some things. Ie, this text was sent around in a longer form via email, but when published openly, it removed the part about this person's involvement with Stalinists. Many anarchists receive lots of "information" for this group, without learning about nationalists, authoritarian communists and others involved. We also don't get to hear about people who didn't support some previous things involving this person because of these reasons.
Without going into a critique of insurrectionalism or armed struggle, I just would comment that some of the biggest problems of Russian or Belarussian anarchists in recent years has been their own macho and sensationalist habits of talking to much, too openly, etc., and creating a subculture which is a haven for people who will get their comrades in trouble by their own stupidity.
akai wrote: Many anarchists
akai
Have you got some exclusive information about nationalists, authoritarian and communists involved in this incident in Nizhni Novgorod? Please share.
No, I have no information
No, I have no information about such people connected the incident in question, which presumably involved just one person. I (and everybody who knows anything in Russia) know about the history of this person's associations. Bolsheviks and Stalinists can go fuck themselves and I am no fan of anarchists who go with them in such enterprises.
akai wrote: No, I have no
akai
Then what the hell should libcom audience "learn about nationalists, authoritarian communists and others involved", if nationalists and authoritarian communists are not involved?
Obviously you were making some outright bullshit claims here.
akai
You are again hinting that Ilya was involved some enterprise with Bolsheviks and Stalinists in Nizhni Novgorod, which no-one except you has any information about.