Feminist Anti-War Resistance (FAS) Leads In Organizing Russian Protests Against Putin’s War – OpEd
By Paul Goble
The Feminist Anti-War resistance, known by its Russian acronym FAS, arose the day after Putin invaded Ukraine and has become, as measured by the number of its social network subscribers, the largest organization committed to organizing demonstrations against the war.
It is a network organization with no specific leaders or hierarchy, something that often makes it difficult for its various components to work together but helps maintain a sense of security while providing opportunities for those not supported by their families to know they are not alone (semnasem.org/articles/2022/04/19/moya-lyubov-k-rodine-bezotvetna).
The existence of FAS inspires its followers to speak out and share information and perspectives not just with one another but also with Russians who increasingly do not have access to accurate information about the war. And it helps its members who suffer incarceration to hold on and continue the struggle after their release.
According to the 7×7 news agency, those who take part in FAS-organized demonstrations or follow its posts online almost inevitably become more radical in their criticism of the regime and its war, more prepared to suffer for their beliefs, and also more ready to cooperate with other opposition movements.
FAS has also gone international establishing links with opponents of Putin’s war in Ukraine in other countries and has created two hashtags for Twitter, Voices of Ukrainian Women and Voices of Russian Women, where people on both sides of the battle line can speak with each other.
All the FAS followers with whom 7×7 spoke said they planned to continue as a movement even when the war ends; and many said that they are convinced that boosting the number of women in leading government positions will be the salvation of the Russian Federation in the future.
