February 27, 2016

Bridge of Contention


Bridge of Contention
Photo: Mikhail Mordasov

The late Boris Nemtsov’s friends and supporters are not surrendering.

It has been a year since the opposition politician was shot as he walked along a bridge near the Kremlin, yet Russians continue to gather at his assassination site.

The authorities are also not surrendering in their effort to erase from the face of the city the memorial that sprung up in his honor. In 2016, attempts to “clean” the bridge intensified; in January the memorial was removed three times. Each time, police drove up to the site at three or four in the morning, claimed they were responding to a report of a disturbance, and then detained activists who are part of a team that guards the memorial around the clock. Municipal workers would then gather up the flowers, Russian flags and candles for disposal.

In one instance, when an activist tied himself to a chair and the chair to a flag post to make it harder to apprehend him, he was arrested for “organizing a mass event for five people by sitting on a wooden chair with a Russian flag and reading poems, which prevented passersby from walking.”

Yet people are still showing up at the bridge, and several online groups have organized themselves: one for people who staff the memorial in shifts, another for people who donate money to purchase flowers. Daily updates are posted, with pictures and interviews with Muscovites and those who visit the capital and stop by the bridge to pay their respects.

At press time, in Moscow the opposition was seeking to hold a rally on the anniversary of Nemtsov’s murder in late February.

In early February, police in Syktyvkar arrested local rights campaigner Ernest Mezak, nearly a year after he held a small rally last March to commemorate Nemtsov’s death. He faces a trial.

Over 30,000 people in Moscow have signed a petition to erect a permanent memorial on the bridge to commemorate the charismatic opposition politician who served as deputy prime minister. There have even been calls to rename the bridge, known as Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, Nemtsov Bridge.

But Moscow authorities, normally rather casual about unveiling monuments to public figures or symbols, are adamant that there is “no sufficient consensus” in society to warrant a memorial to Nemtsov.

It is a strange, quiet, but fierce standoff, and it is likely to last until the Russian parliament passes a bill banning any form of public mourning.

After the latest “zachistka” (cleansing) of the bridge by municipal workers, a volunteer, Olga Avilonova, posted a picture on Facebook of new bouquets arranged on the site, with the Kremlin towers in the background.

“The memorial is doing okay, all has been tidied up and arranged,” she wrote. “It stopped snowing, the flowers are beautiful.”

You Might Also Like

Boris Nemtsov
  • February 28, 2015

Boris Nemtsov

On Friday night, just steps from St. Basil's Cathedral, one of the bravest and most vocal opponents of the Kremlin was gunned down by unknown assailants. How are Russians reacting?
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955