New Revolutionary Alternative
Encyclopedia
New Revolutionary Alternative (Russian: Новая Революционная Альтернатива) (NRA) is an anarchist organization devoted to insurrectionary struggle in Russia
. Authorities consider the organization to be a terrorist
group.
Little is known about the NRA. The media has speculated that it may have as many as 100 active members while others believe that it may not exist at all.
(including bombings and arsons) in protest of the Chechen
war. Targets included conscription centers, government, military and police stations.
After the April 2, 1998 bombing of a police bus, the NRA released a statement calling on "the people to answer police terror with revolutionary terror
and fascist provocations with anti-fascist direct action."
On April 4, 1999, a bomb detonated in Moscow
, seriously damaging the Federal Security Bureau. Several days later, the bombing was claimed by the NRA, who stated that the attack was "a protest against the bourgeois terror of the Russian state police system against the radical opponents of the regime." Many journalists rejected the NRA's claim as unlikely. Two women, Olga Nevskaya and Nadezhda Raks, were arrested on February 23, 2000 in conjunction with a criminal investigation into the attack.
On April 14, 2003 three individuals were convicted of participation in various NRA activities. Nadezhda Raks received 9 years in prison, Larisa Romanova received 5.5 years in prison, and Olga Nevskaya received 6 years in prison. Raks, a member of the "Revolutionary Communist Union of Youth (Bolsheviks)" (cf. Bolshevik
), is not supported by Russian anarchists due to alleged right-wing ties.
In October, 2005 Larisa Romanova was freed from prison.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Authorities consider the organization to be a terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
group.
Little is known about the NRA. The media has speculated that it may have as many as 100 active members while others believe that it may not exist at all.
History
The NRA first surfaced in 1996, carrying out a number of actionsDirect action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
(including bombings and arsons) in protest of the Chechen
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
war. Targets included conscription centers, government, military and police stations.
After the April 2, 1998 bombing of a police bus, the NRA released a statement calling on "the people to answer police terror with revolutionary terror
Revolutionary terror
Revolutionary terror ) refers to the institutionalized application of force to counterrevolutionaries, particularly during the French Revolution from the years 1793 to 1794...
and fascist provocations with anti-fascist direct action."
On April 4, 1999, a bomb detonated in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, seriously damaging the Federal Security Bureau. Several days later, the bombing was claimed by the NRA, who stated that the attack was "a protest against the bourgeois terror of the Russian state police system against the radical opponents of the regime." Many journalists rejected the NRA's claim as unlikely. Two women, Olga Nevskaya and Nadezhda Raks, were arrested on February 23, 2000 in conjunction with a criminal investigation into the attack.
On April 14, 2003 three individuals were convicted of participation in various NRA activities. Nadezhda Raks received 9 years in prison, Larisa Romanova received 5.5 years in prison, and Olga Nevskaya received 6 years in prison. Raks, a member of the "Revolutionary Communist Union of Youth (Bolsheviks)" (cf. Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
), is not supported by Russian anarchists due to alleged right-wing ties.
In October, 2005 Larisa Romanova was freed from prison.