What does the movement “Nashi”

“Going together” was headed by Vasily Yakimenko — a man with a dubious reputation who used very controversial methods of political struggle, propaganda and PR. After rebranding, Yakimenko headed the Nashi movement until 2007, after which he was appointed head of Rosmolodezha. The new movement was created in a difficult foreign policy situation — in 2005 there was an expansion of NATO to the East, and this alliance was joined by Russia’s closest neighbors, Georgia and Ukraine, in which there have been so-called “color” revolutions.

The State had no other option than to distract young people from revolutionary sentiments, organize them and channel the energy of this very radical stratum of society on the right line of the authorities. Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Vladislav Surkov met with several dozen young people appointed “commissioners” of the “Nashi” movement, which was a testament to the importance of tasks, $ set before the movement.

But this movement never became a real “youth” in the broad sense of the word. It was rare to meet serious, adult and responsible people in his ranks. If they were, they are those who used “Our” as a launching pad for further political careers, like, for example, the same Yakimenko.

Consisting of high school students and students, the Nashi movement used sufficiently dubious methods to achieve its goals. And it is natural — in the main mass its members were personalities not yet formed and irresponsible. Therefore, there was nothing surprising in the travelogue they arranged to opponents of the regime, and in that naive samopiar using “Photoshop”, causing deserved ridicule of their political opponents.

The activity of the movement consisted of various projects. In particular, it was engaged in management training, education of tolerance, preparation for army service, public legal activities, etc. Every year “Nashi” held their forum on Seliger, where various sections worked. The movement was funded from the federal budget.

In April 2012, the movement’s founder Vasily Yakimenko announced the dissolution of “Our”, but its activities will likely continue in a new form — as a political party with a different name.