Eurasian Youth Union
Encyclopedia
Eurasian Youth Union is a Russian political organization, the youth wing of the Eurasia Party
headed by Aleksandr Dugin
. The organization has branches in several countries. The Government of Ukraine
has branded the ESM as an extremist, anti-Ukrainian organization, convicted of a string of vandalism
offenses and banned it in Ukraine
.
in Ukraine
and the role the younger generation played in it. It is suggested that ESM represents an opposition to a Ukrainian youth organization Pora
.
The early-20th century Eurasianism ideology of a part of the Russian emigration and modern Neo-Eurasianism developed by Aleksandr Dugin
has been declared the main ideology of the organization. Its ideology also features prominently Russian nationalism and imperialism, calls for the creation of a new Eurasian empire centered around Russia. On its website the movement declared the West and in particular the United States as its main opponent and termed it as the "main evil".
In its internal policy the ESM supports the current government of Russia and in particular its former President, Vladimir Putin
. Some also claim, that the movement receives taciturn support from the Russian Government eager to see a movement opposed to a possibility of an Orange Revolution happening in Russia.
, the DPNI
and other groups of that type. It organizes and takes part in the annual Russian March
es in Russia and other countries of Eastern Europe
. Very often these marches are accompanied by violence, especially in Ukraine.
The ESM took an uncompromising approach to changes that happened in Ukraine after the Orange Revolution in 2004. In particular it set up branches in several Ukrainian cities, voiced its sharp criticism of the pro-Western Ukrainian government. The ESM has been behind a string of attacks on property and organizations they deemed pro-Western. It organised attacks on several Ukrainian Security Service branches, monuments to UPA veterans and hacker
attacks on the website of the President of Ukraine
. The most prominent of these attacks, that received nation-wide attention was the desecration of Ukrainian state symbols on Mount Hoverla
in October 2007. The other attack on Ukrainian targets was in Moscow, where several of ESM members trashed an exhibition devoted to Holodomor
. Due to the relatively high profile of these attacks the Ukrainian police asked for assistance from Russia in finding people responsible for them, however, as of yet no suspects have been apprehended.
The organization's vandalism and sharp anti-governmental stance received wide condemnation among Ukrainian media and provoked the response from the Ukrainian extremist elements of the opposite orientation; several threats were made against the organization and its members and an arson attack has been reciprocated on the ESM's offices in Moscow
.
By the decision of the courts the Eurasian Youth Organization has been banned in Ukraine, its leaders Dugin and Zarifullin declared personae non grata.
Eurasia Party
The Eurasia Party was registered as a political party by the Ministry of Justice of Russia on 21 June 2002, approximately one year after the Pan-Russian Eurasia Movement was established by Aleksandr Dugin...
headed by Aleksandr Dugin
Aleksandr Dugin
Aleksandr Gelyevich Dugin is a politologist and one of the most popular ideologists of Russian expansionism, nationalism, and fascism, with close ties to the Kremlin and Russian military. He was the leading organizer of National Bolshevik Party, National Bolshevik Front, and Eurasia Party...
. The organization has branches in several countries. The Government of Ukraine
Government of Ukraine
Government of Ukraine is often associated with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. However it should be considered that Ukraine is a country under a semi-presidential system with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government...
has branded the ESM as an extremist, anti-Ukrainian organization, convicted of a string of vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
offenses and banned it in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Ideology
According to some observers the Eurasian Youth Union was created as a reaction to the Orange RevolutionOrange Revolution
The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate aftermath of the run-off vote of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election which was claimed to be marred by massive corruption, voter...
in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and the role the younger generation played in it. It is suggested that ESM represents an opposition to a Ukrainian youth organization Pora
Pora
PORA! , meaning IT'S TIME! in Ukrainian, is a civic youth organization and political party in Ukraine espousing nonviolent resistance and advocating increased national democracy...
.
The early-20th century Eurasianism ideology of a part of the Russian emigration and modern Neo-Eurasianism developed by Aleksandr Dugin
Aleksandr Dugin
Aleksandr Gelyevich Dugin is a politologist and one of the most popular ideologists of Russian expansionism, nationalism, and fascism, with close ties to the Kremlin and Russian military. He was the leading organizer of National Bolshevik Party, National Bolshevik Front, and Eurasia Party...
has been declared the main ideology of the organization. Its ideology also features prominently Russian nationalism and imperialism, calls for the creation of a new Eurasian empire centered around Russia. On its website the movement declared the West and in particular the United States as its main opponent and termed it as the "main evil".
In its internal policy the ESM supports the current government of Russia and in particular its former President, Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
. Some also claim, that the movement receives taciturn support from the Russian Government eager to see a movement opposed to a possibility of an Orange Revolution happening in Russia.
Activities
Within Russia the Eurasian Youth Union has allied itself with Russian extreme right organizations like, the National Bolshevik FrontNational Bolshevik Front
National Bolshevik Front has been used as a name for three separate strands of National Bolshevism. The name initially applied to the Russian National Bolshevik Party of Eduard Limonov when it was founded in 1993...
, the DPNI
Movement Against Illegal Immigration
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration is a Russian nationalist and anti-Illegal immigration organization. The organization is led by Aleksandr Belov a former member of ultra-nationalist Pamyat...
and other groups of that type. It organizes and takes part in the annual Russian March
Russian March
Russian March is an annual nationalist mass demonstration in several major Russian cities and in other ex-USSR countries. Russian marches usually take place on or around November 4, on the Day of National Unity celebrated in Russia...
es in Russia and other countries of Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
. Very often these marches are accompanied by violence, especially in Ukraine.
The ESM took an uncompromising approach to changes that happened in Ukraine after the Orange Revolution in 2004. In particular it set up branches in several Ukrainian cities, voiced its sharp criticism of the pro-Western Ukrainian government. The ESM has been behind a string of attacks on property and organizations they deemed pro-Western. It organised attacks on several Ukrainian Security Service branches, monuments to UPA veterans and hacker
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
attacks on the website of the President of Ukraine
President of Ukraine
Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the...
. The most prominent of these attacks, that received nation-wide attention was the desecration of Ukrainian state symbols on Mount Hoverla
Hoverla
Hoverla mountain at , is the highest mountain in Ukraine and part of the Carpathian Mountains. The mountain is located in the Eastern Beskides, in the so-called Chornohora region. The slopes are covered with beech and spruce forests, above which there is a belt of sub-alpine meadows called...
in October 2007. The other attack on Ukrainian targets was in Moscow, where several of ESM members trashed an exhibition devoted to Holodomor
Holodomor
The Holodomor was a man-made famine in the Ukrainian SSR between 1932 and 1933. During the famine, which is also known as the "terror-famine in Ukraine" and "famine-genocide in Ukraine", millions of Ukrainians died of starvation in a peacetime catastrophe unprecedented in the history of...
. Due to the relatively high profile of these attacks the Ukrainian police asked for assistance from Russia in finding people responsible for them, however, as of yet no suspects have been apprehended.
The organization's vandalism and sharp anti-governmental stance received wide condemnation among Ukrainian media and provoked the response from the Ukrainian extremist elements of the opposite orientation; several threats were made against the organization and its members and an arson attack has been reciprocated on the ESM's offices in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
By the decision of the courts the Eurasian Youth Organization has been banned in Ukraine, its leaders Dugin and Zarifullin declared personae non grata.