Ukraine

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/10391078

The head of the center-right New People party on Monday voiced Russians’ growing frustration with the protracted war in Ukraine and government tech bans in a speech on the last day of the State Duma’s current convocation.

Russians are “exhausted by uncertainty and injustice,” Alexei Nechayev was quoted as saying by the RTVI broadcaster.

He characterized the wartime restrictions, including those infringing on Russians’ digital and technological freedoms, as “useless” for both public safety and public order.

“We’ve accumulated a mountain of bans… They erode trust and slow down the country’s development. There are so many bans now that nobody even knows what’s allowed and what’s forbidden anymore,” Nechayev said.

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Nechayev also called out the “injustice” of his colleagues demanding a sweeping ban on Western social media while they themselves use VPNs and other tools to bypass those restrictions.

“Let’s change our approach. Let’s stop viewing the average citizen as an ignorant child or a potential criminal,” he said, referring to Russians as the country’s “main capital” that should not be “squandered.”

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The rare airing of frustration — which nevertheless stopped short of denouncing the war — by the leader of the youngest party in the Duma comes ahead of legislative elections this September.

While the ruling United Russia party is widely expected to secure an overwhelming majority, New People, which currently holds 15 seats in the 450-seat Duma, is among a handful of parties jockeying for second place

Although New People, which was founded in 2020, is considered more liberal-leaning than other parties, its lawmakers usually vote in line with United Russia on major issues, including the invasion of Ukraine.

Last week, New People joined other parties in passing legislation that would cut off exiled anti-war Russians from consular and other services that legal experts warn will severely disrupt the lives of emigres abroad.

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