UNISON conference backs Palestine, organising, strikes and trans rights
rs21 members in UNISON report that the recent National Delegate Conference saw continued progress and highlighted areas for campaigning and reform.
From Ukraine to Gaza: imperialism, resistance and solidarity
Two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine we need international solidarity in building resistance to imperialism and militarism.
Understanding the contradictions of Ukraine
rs21 member Sam O’Brien argues for a more nuanced understanding which sees both the struggle for national liberation and rivalry between imperialist powers as driving the war.
Chernobyl 1986 – when nuclear power came of age
A lethal combination of technical arrogance, corporate and state deceit and human fallibility that will forever lie at the heart of nuclear power.
Inside the Ukrainian Resistance
Interview about the Ukrainian Resistance, the state of war, the dynamics of class struggle and popular consciousness, and the tasks of the international Left in building solidarity with Ukraine.
Striking union organisers raided by Russian security forces
Russian security forces raided the apartments of independent trade unionists in Moscow in a direct attack on the organising of gig workers.
Russia’s war and the West
Gareth Dale responds to an article by Tom Bramble exploring the reasons for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Russian imperialism under Putin
The invasion of Ukraine can be understood only with reference to the imperialist competition that dominates the world system.
How the West made Putin
Anindya Bhattacharyya charts a recent history of links between Putin and key figures in the Western ruling class.
Russia’s invasion and world imperialism
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows that we have to understand imperialism as a world system.
NATO: the West’s war machine
rs21 member Andy Gammon argues that solidarity with Ukrainians means calling for an end to NATO.
On the invasion of Ukraine
A statement from the rs21 Steering Group on the inter-imperialist war currently being waged in Ukraine.
Interview: Ukraine’s crisis of representation
Yuliya Yurchenko discusses the landslide victory of the comedian Vladimir Zelensky over the incumbent Petro Poroshenko in the Ukrainian presidential election.
Review: Ukraine and the Empire of Capital
Nick Evans finds much of interest in Yuliya Yurchenko’s analysis of Ukraine’s recent history.
Why Russia backs Assad: a view from Russia’s anti-imperialist left
The editors of the Russian socialist website openleft.ru analyse why Russia is now openly moving troops into Syria to support the Assad regime. A whole range of evidence [also here] indicates that Russia is activating its military aid for the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad up to the point of direct involvement of Russian troops in the […]
Putin’s enemies within
Last Sunday, Nestor Bakunin joined a demonstration in Moscow in memory of the murdered opposition politician Boris Nemtsov. Here he discusses the politics of the demonstration – one of the largest in recent years – and what it reveals about the current state of opposition to Putin’s regime in Russia. At least 50,000 people marched […]
From democracy to neoliberalism – from Poland to Ukraine
Following recent waves of labour struggles in Poland, Jan Ladzinski reflects on the contradictions of movements for democracy that result in neoliberal reforms and suggests possible lessons from the Polish experience for Ukraine. This is a year of strikes in Poland. From the very first days of January, 20% of GP practices in the country […]
On the murder of Boris Nemtsov
Tens of thousands demonstrated in Moscow and other cities around Russia today against the murder of Boris Nemtsov on Friday night. Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, was a prominent critic of president Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. He had been due to lead today’s demonstration in Moscow against the war, marking a year since […]
The spectre of social unrest is haunting Putin’s Russia
The Russian economy is in serious trouble. Gabriel Levy analyses the roots of the problem and what this means for ordinary Russians, Ukrainians, and the rest of us. This article was originally posted on the People and Nature blog. On Russia’s “Black Tuesday” this week (16 December), the Central Bank tried to stop the rouble’s […]
Crisis in Argentina: China and Russia in the USA’s backyard
As vulture capitalists continue to deepen Argentina’s economic crisis, China and Russia are showing increasing interest in strengthening their economic, military and cultural influence over the country. Argentinian socialist David Justo asks what this new situation means for anti-imperialist politics in Latin America. In the so-called “multipolar world”, with the USA losing its hegemonic dominance, […]
The Russian far right and its role in the Ukraine conflict
Moscow based socialist and rs21 member Nestor Bakunin has written an article at The Project detailing the state of Russia’s far right and its involvement in the Ukraine conflict. He writes: While those on the left who consider Kiev to have a fascist government depict the separatist movement as an “antifascist” resistance, there are others who […]
The changing face of imperialism
Ukraine and Syria have put imperialism back at the top of the political agenda. Rob Owen traces the theory of imperialism and charts the trajectory of US imperialism in recent years.
Ukraine: The alternative road ahead (public meeting)
Ukraine is suffering from war and a deep social crisis that has implications for all of Europe. Many are asking what has happened in Ukraine. What is the role of Russia and the West? How should we respond? This forum is a unique opportunity to hear an alternative, first-hand analysis from leading socialists and trade […]
Report on solidarity picket for Ukrainian miners
Jan LadziÅ„ski reports on a solidarity picket outside the London HQ of the oligarchs who are refusing to pay Ukrainian miners a decent wage. On Friday afternoon there was a solidarity picket outside the offices of EVRAZ, the company in charge of Kryvyi Rih coal mines. EVRAZ is owned by Russian oligarchs: Roman Abramovich, Alexander […]
Appeal of the Kryvyi Rih Basin Miners to the Workers of Europe
Miners in Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine are engaged in a labour dispute with the enterprises of EVRAZ HQ, whose headquarters are in London. They are issuing this appeal to workers in Europe for solidarity. The oligarchs who are refusing them pay are the same oligarchs who have driven Ukraine to the brink of fratricidal […]
The Tragedy of Odessa
We must stand with the people of Ukraine against their own government and oligarchs, against the machinations of the West, against the growing threat of fascism, and against the rising tide of Russian imperialism.
The Left and Maidan: Interview with Ukrainian socialist Denis Pilas
Around 150 people gathered in Kiev recently to attend a conference organised by Ukrainian organisations including the Left Opposition, with support from the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. The conference, entitled ‘The Left and Maidan’, discussed perspectives for the left in Ukraine. There were visitors from Russia, France, Germany, Poland and Belarus, including left members of the […]
Ukraine, Russia and the miners of the Donbass
Miners in the Donbass region have played a crucial role in Ukrainian politics since 1989, and are key today, argues Nick Evans The situation in eastern Ukraine is becoming more and more dangerous. It is over a week since pro-Russian forces seized government buildings in the region. Attempts by the Ukrainian government to retake control […]