February 27, 2023

A Wall of Resistance


A Wall of Resistance
Dmitry Skurikhin kneeling in front of the wall covered with names of Ukrainian cities in red and holding a sign saying "Sorry, Ukraine."  Telekanal Dozhd, Telegram.

In times when dissidents in Russia are forced to remain silent, a picture of a shopkeeper from a town near St. Petersburg went viral on the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine. He can be seen holding a sign with the words "Sorry, Ukraine." The walls behind him are covered with the names of Ukrainian cities painted in red and the words "Peace to Ukraine, Freedom for Russia."

The 47-year-old entrepreneur, activist, and former municipal deputy, Dmitry Skurikhin, has not hidden his opposition to the invasion. The Russko-Vysotskoe native drives a car with "Net Voine" (No to war) written on it and refuses to shave his beard as long as President Vladimir Putin remains in power. However, his loudest statements are on the wall of his shop in his village.

In early March 2022, Skurikhin grabbed social media attention by putting up pictures of destroyed residential buildings in Kharkiv and one of a girl who died from shelling. Ever since March, the activist has written the names of Ukrainian cities that come under attack on the facade of his shop.

According to Skurikhin, the police haven't been too harsh on him because they aren't in a city. He also assures he's not received much backlash from the community. Yet, authorities have taken down his posters and fined him multiple times for his displays on the wall and Facebook posts. In April 2022, Three unidentified men wrote "Traitor" on his walls. 

When asked if he was afraid, Skurikhin responded: " I'm scared. (...) [but] I can't stop campaigning. "

 

You Might Also Like

Eat. Bake. Protest.
  • January 25, 2023

Eat. Bake. Protest.

How a woman from Moscow turned a cake business into an anti-war protest and helped charities.
Another Political Prisoner
  • February 20, 2023

Another Political Prisoner

A court in Barnaul sentenced an independent Russian journalist for "fake news" about the Russian army.
Art and Punishment
  • December 18, 2022

Art and Punishment

Unearthed archival documents show that Vladimir Putin investigated a dissident artist as a junior KGB agent in Leningrad.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
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.
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.
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 Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

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