September 24, 2024

Forced to Be Sorry


Forced to Be Sorry
BlackBerry Android Smartphone.
Maurizio Pesce, Wikimedia Commons.

According to the independent publication DOXA, at least 120 forced public video apologies have been published on Russian official and unofficial platforms since the beginning of the year. More than a quarter of them are related to the Russian War on Ukraine. People have apologized for actions such as playing the Ukrainian anthem or liking a post featuring the Ukrainian coat of arms.

In the videos, people typically stand in police stations or places of detention as they express regret for their actions. Apologies are made not only for supporting Ukraine but also for offenses like incorrectly placed advertising on billboards. For example, in Altai, a banner featuring a portrait of a deceased participant in the "special operation" was blocked by an election banner months before voting day. A scandal erupted as residents complained that such advertising "pushes heroes into the background." 

However, the apologies are not limited to actions or statements related to the war in Ukraine. In at least 35 "repentant" videos, individuals have asked for forgiveness for petty hooliganism or insults directed at both individuals and monuments commemorating the Great Patriotic War. At least 16 videos contain apologies for fights or insults based on nationality, often involving labor migrants from Central Asian countries.

In some cases, people are forced to apologize for actions that seem to barely fit the definition of hooliganism. In May, blogger Rustam Sarachev was forced to apologize after criticizing residents of the Republic of Dagestan for rejecting lectures on sex education and for divorce.

The practice of public video apologies began in Chechnya in the mid-2010s, when individuals who publicly insulted the head of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, "repented" on camera. Kadyrov’s former representative, Salaudin Mamakov, later said members of the Chechen diaspora monitor for cases of insults against Kadyrov. If law enforcement is involved in time, he said, such individuals can be found quickly, and an "explanatory talk" ensures they understand their wrongdoing. Mamakov noted that this practice was "put on stream" in Chechnya.

Following Chechnya, the practice of public apologies spread across Russia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, videos were recorded of individuals accused of distributing "fake news" about the virus. Similarly, during protests in support of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, participants in rallies were recorded apologizing. Human rights defenders group OVD-Info have observed an increase in public apologies since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

You Might Also Like

Russian Anxiety on the Rise
  • August 26, 2024

Russian Anxiety on the Rise

Russian anxieties about the war are increasing in response to Ukraine's offensive into the Kursk region. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals
[INVALID]
[INVALID]

Some of our Books

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

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.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

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.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

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.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

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.

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