Nashi - Pro-Putin Youth Movement
- Location Super Impose
7.10.2007, Moscow
NAR -
On October 7th, more than ten thousand young Russians gathered in Moscow in spite of the bad weather.
- Location Sound
Happy Birthday Mr. Putin! We are with you Mr. Putin! Russia! Russia! Russia! Russia!
NAR -
They came to celebrate the 55th birthday of President Putin. It has been seven years since he came into office and in that time he has managed to restore Russia's sense of pride by boosting the economy.
NAR -
These young men and women are none other than members of Nashi, Russia's largest youth movement and suspected as being Putin's enthusiasts.
Subtitle: Nashi - Pro-Putin Youth Movement
NAR -
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has been championing the democratic statehood.
NAR -
Yet all these people are here together to celebrate the birthday of the head of state.
I- INT. Alexandria / Nashi member
We're here to celebrate and commemorate the birthday of President Putin.
- INT. I van Gernichy / Nashi member
My wish is that you (Putin) will continue to be an influential and strong leader into the future.
- Location Sound
2007! December! 2nd! Putin! Please be with us forever!
NAR -
But rather than a birthday ceremony, this event seems more like a pro-Putin election rally.
- Location Sound
For Putin in December! For Russia in March! There is much talk of the President's third term. Vote for Putin on December 2nd.
NAR -
With his term due to end in March 2008, Putin recently expressed his plans to run for Russia's parliament in the December elections, possibly as Prime Minister.
- Name Super Impose
"Putin's Plan: Putin's election - Russia's victory!"
NAR -
Since Putin hasn't quite finished his term yet, it seems the Nashi is rallying on his behalf.
- Name Super Impose
December 2nd - Putin's Choice
NAR -
Putin is showing ambitions for long-term governance.
- Location Super Impose
1.10.2007, "United Russia Party" party conference
- Location Sound
I gratefully accept your request to lead the 'United Russia Party'.
NAR -
As criticism on possible dictatorship began to rise both within and outside the country, the Nashi immediately carried out a pro-Putin movement to influence the public opinion.
- Location Sound.
Nikita Barabikov / Nashi's 2nd in command - He (President Putin) has come to lead the United Russia Party. But he can't manage it alone.
That is why the Nashi movement, as always, must work to help him. Only we can guarantee the President's complete victory.
NAR -
The Nashi youth movement has managed to gain more than 200 thousand members in just two years! They are already acting vigorously as Putin's loyal enthusiasts.
NAR -
Nashi was created by the Pro-Putin politician Vasily Yakemenko.
- Name Super Impose
Vasily Yakemenko / Creator of Nashi (Pro-Putin Politician)
NAR -
The Nashi objectives he laid out are to protect Putin from the anti-governmental forces and to conjure patriotism in the hearts of the apathetic young.
- Location Super Impose
1.3.2005, Nashi Inaugural Ceremony
NAR -
With Putin's popularity and the exceptional support of the government, Nashi was able to enjoy rapid growth.
- Location Super Impose
Nashi Headquarters, Moscow
NAR -
The Nashi headquarters is situated in central Moscow.
- Name Super Impose
Producer Kim Chul Jin
NAR -
Although the filming crew had made a prior appointment and a Nashi spokesperson was with them, they were checked thoroughly before being allowed to enter. The security system was very strict.
- Location Sound
Please open.
NAR -
Even when the filming crew managed to get inside, all they got to see was the hallway filled with pictures and articles of Nashi's activities.
NAR -
The place looked as though it could be the headquarters of a communist organization.
NAR -
The Nashi members with their badges intact all had a lot of pride about their activities.
NAR -
Temporary tents have been set up as offices due to the rapid increase in Nashi members.
NAR -
Members here gather as often as they can to have political debates that instill a sense of patriotism.
NAR -
Teenage members can also be seen here and there.
- INT. Dmitri.(12) / Nashi member
I'm twelve years old. My parents are completely supportive. They believe their son should be a nationalist and participate in nationalist activities.
- INT. Nikita Barabikov / Nashi's 2nd in command
You could say Nashi is an upgraded youth movement. We make specific propositions for a stronger Russia.
NAR -
Nashi's first step to instill patriotism in the young was to send them to the army.
NAR -
It is to create a voluntary army and build a strong Russia.
NAR -
Even the actual military men came together from all across Russia under the name of Nashi.
NAR -
A lot of work went into changing the idea on the Russian military.
- INT. Alexei / Nashi member
Today we are holding an event for the autumn draft of the Russian army.
- Location Sound
Men who haven't been to the army won't be able to take care of their women.
I promise I won't get married to anyone until you are discharged from the military.
NAR -
The ultimate purpose of this event is to instill pride in enrollment so that young men won't try to avoid going.
NAR -
The Russian army's grand parade goes on in spite of the rain.
NAR -
Twenty men decided to enlist in the army, and they receive shouts of welcome from the Russian army and congratulations from the Nashi members.
- INT.
Join the military. The military is no longer a fearful place. Let's protect Russia with our own hands!
- INT.
Russian men have the obligation to protect their country. The Nashi army's already enlisted twenty people.
NAR-
The ones who decided to enlist were mainly from the Nashi military.
- Name Super Impose
Russian Federal Ministry of Defense supports the program
- Location Sound
Our ambitious project the ‘Nashi Army' has taken its first step. Hooray!
NAR -
The Nashi Army is a military experience project formed to try and solve the military-evasion problem.
NAR -
With permission from Russia's Ministry of Defense, there are currently twenty teams and they are all turning into the Nashi's military force.
NAR -
From this year Nashi began a project to encourage its members to marry each other.
NAR -
This is the first couple to come out of that project.
- Location Sound
If we don't make babies we won't exist and neither will Russia. There will be nothing. It's sad, it's bitter sad. How about three kids? Let's have at least three, ok?
NAR -
They are a newly married couple who fell in love with each other in the Nashi camp. It's been three months since they married. But what would have happened if they didn't have Nashi?
- INT. Evgeny Abanov / Husband
We met through Nashi. It's because we had the same thoughts.
My wife is my comrade and my dear woman at the same time.
- Location Super Impose
7.2007, Nashi Summer Camp
NAR -
Nashi provides a separate space at the camp for newly married couples.
NAR -
Some of the couples were made spontaneously during the camp, so there were no wedding dresses prepared for them. But Nashi did provide red tents for the couples to spend their first night in, and wedding rings that would verify their marriages.
NAR -
The aim is to ease the burden of the couple's wedding cost and to marry up more couples under the name of patriotism.
NAR -
It is, in the end, to create a strong Russia by increasing its population.
- Location Sound
Take these people as your role models. Get to know each other, fall in love, marry, and make babies.
- Location Sound
Make sure you have more than three children.
- Location Sound
Be happy and produce many children in our country.
- Location Sound
There will be children after our generation. If we have a great number of children, Russia will remain great as well. Now, go there! Move to the red tent and take a look at each other, and then make love!
NAR -
30 patriotic couples in total have been made this summer.
NAR -
For 2 days, the couples are encouraged to make babies in the red tents floating on the river.
NAR -
Nashi opposes Fascism, and this activity was performed to support such spirit.
NAR -
Nashi members made a large-sized blanket; 4 meter-wide and 220 meter-long. It is made out of patches with unique patterns of Russian minorities and different countries of the world.
- INT.
Nashi is an anti-fascist youth organization that wants to make Russia the leader of the 21st century.
- INT.
We made this blanket for the friendship of all people in Russia.
- Brochure Super Impose
"This is betrayal" by Mikhail Kasyanov of the People's Democratic Union
- Brochure Super Impose -
"This is betrayal" by Leader of the National Bolshevik Front
NAR -
Ironically, however, since its establishment in 2005 Nashi has defined all those who are anti-Putin as national traitors.
- Location Super Impose
Baltic nation's (Estonia) fascists made an illegal move, so their flag was torn down.
NAR -
Nashi insists that the "Estonia Clashes" was a Fascist conspiracy.
NAR -
When the former Soviet state Estonia announced that it would remove the Monument to Soviet Soldiers from the capital, Nashi carried out various forms of protests against it saying it is for the preservation of Russian history.
- Location Sound
No passage for Estonians!
NAR -
Nashis who shouted out for Anti-fascism exposed their nature of extreme patriotism, which is a very dangerous part of their activities.
- INT. Igori / Anti-governmental organization member
Nashi acts on instructions from above. No form of democracy can be found. It pushes the anti-governmental organizations to the wall with the simple logic of black and white.
- Location Super Impose
High School of Business, Academy of Nashi
NAR -
This is the university run by Nashi.
The members of Nashi can receive free education here.
- Location Sound
Today's topic is about how to deal with the press and how to do the interviews on TV.
NAR -
The members are infused with the ideology of the Kremlin, in the school built by the Kremlin. And they are trained to be the elite politicians of the Kremlin.
NAR -
This is the most dangerous aspect of Nashi; something that can be the biggest obstacle to Russia's democracy in the future.
- INT. Leonir Kujov / Nashi's Regional Representative in St. Petersburg
Russia is developing into a democratic country. It's just that we don't agree with the definition of democracy set by the West.
- INT. Aleg Kozlovski / Russia Research Institution for Social Studies, Researcher
It is sad that the capabilities and knowledge of the Russian youth (Nashi) are used only for feeding the ruling party, and NOT for the country's real development.
I feel as though Russia is going back to its autocratic period.
NAR -
It's obvious that the Nashi members are the patriotic youth of Russia.
NAR -
However, it is also undeniable that this group of people is used only for one person -Putin.
- Location Sound
It's my ring tone
- Location Sound
"Be glorious, our free Motherland" (from the Russian anthem)
NAR -
There are misgivings that their blind loyalty and devotion to Russia may recur the period of autocracy.