Russian university students and faculty protest lecture by ‘Anti-Maidan’ leader

Students and faculty at the Russian State University for the Humanities (RGGU) staged a protest today at a lecture by Nikolai Starikov, one of the leaders of the Anti-Maidan movement. Starikov and his group are well known for their fervent support of the separatists in eastern Ukraine and their intense campaign against Russia’s democratic opposition.

Starikov came to RGGU to deliver a “briefing” about the West’s conspiracy against Russia and Ukraine.

According to reports on Twitter, Starikov’s presentation lasted at least 90 minutes, including the time spent shouting by protesters. His lecture was a part of the Anti-Maidan movement’s ongoing university lecture series on foreign and domestic policy.

Other prominent figures from the movement, including biker gang leader Alexander “the Surgeon” Zaldostanov and Oleg Tsarov, the former speaker of the separatist "Unity Parliament" in eastern Ukraine, have also visited schools in Russia, “explaining Moscow’s foreign policy” and speaking about the West’s conspiracies against Russia.

On February 21, the Anti-Maidan movement held a mass demonstration in downtown Moscow. According to police, roughly 35,000 people attended.

The Anti-Maidan movement was founded in January 2015 by representatives of the Combat Brotherhood, the biker group The Night Wolves, and other organizations calling themselves “patriotic.” The movement’s main goal is to prevent an “orange revolution” in Russia. Supporters have vowed to attend all demonstrations by the democratic opposition, in order to interfere with any protest.

For more on Anti-Maidan, see Russia’s pissed off patriots