A MEGA-PARTY TO BE FOUNDED IN ST. PETERSBURG
Izvestia, April 19, 2002, p. 2
For the first time in recent Russian history, some political movements from opposite ends of the spectrum have announced their intention to unite. Next week, over a dozen youth organizations in St. Petersburg will sign a cooperation agreement. They include young communists, members of Yabloko, democrats of every shade – all of them prepared to set aside their own political ambitions for the sake of joint efforts within a new organization called the United Youth Front. The constitutive congress of the organization is expected to take place in May.
Free Choice youth movement leader Sergey Vostretsov, who initiated this campaign to join forces, told us about the new mega-structure. Vostretsov doesn’t rule out that its activities might extend beyond one city.
“Rejecting all political statements is the main basis of unification,” Vostretsov said. He also noted that he has enlisted the support of the 15 most influential youth organizations in St. Petersburg. The only stipulation is that no fascists or neo-nazi skinheads will be accepted into the team.
Vostretsov said: “Nowadays, young people have more problems in common than political faction: no support from families, no housing, problems with education and so on. We are ready to unite in order to resolve all these problems! The time is ripe.”
To “promote young people into government” is the main goal of the unification.
TWENTY-TWO CASUALTIES IN TWO DAYS OF PEACE
Izvestia, April 19, 2002, p. 2
There was a terrorist attack in Grozny on April 18, larger than any others which have been seen recently. Sixteen members of the Special Police Force of Chechnya were killed when a landmine exploded; two more were taken to the military hospital in a critical condition. According to reports of the Chechen police, 14 people were killed, and three more are at the Severny military hospital in a serious condition. Six more servicemen of the Defense Ministry were killed in other acts of terrorism, and eleven were wounded. The guerrillas timed the terrorist attacks to coincide with Putin’s address to parliament, according to the special services of Chechnya.
