Terrorism In Russia Research Articles

The romantic of the revolution

The article reviews O.A. Milevsky's book about V.A. Osinsky, one of the founders of political terror in Russia

РОЛЬ ДИСЦИПЛИНЫ «ОСНОВЫ РОССИЙСКОЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОСТИ» В ПРОФИЛАКТИКЕ ТЕРРОРИЗМА СРЕДИ СТУДЕНТОВ ВУЗОВ

The article lists the trends of modern terrorism in Russia, provides statistics on terrorist activity, indi-cating the urgent need to strengthen the range of measures to prevent terrorism, including student youth. The importance of the discipline “Fundamentals of Russian Statehood” in the fight against ter-rorism in modern international conditions is substantiated in order for Russian students to understand the importance of the traditional values of their state. Problems have been identified, the solution of which, within the framework of studying the course of this discipline, will improve the effectiveness of preventive measures

The evolution of terrorism in Russia in the years 2015-2022. Quantitative analysis of the phenomenon

In the years 2015-2021, Russia’s rank in Global Terrorism Index became lower every year. In 2015 and 2016, it was classified as third among the European countries, behind Ukraine and France. In the following period (2017-2021), the United Kingdom also found itself ahead of Russia, which fell to the fourth position. The present article has the form of a quantitative analysis. The research goal is to identify trends related to terrorism that take place in the Russian Federation in the years 2015-2022 (in some parts, the analysis covers the time span between 2015 and 2021, due to lack of data). According to the hypothesis: The phenomenon of terrorism in Russia is closely related to the activities of jihadist organizations, and groups with a different profile pose a marginal threat. Quantitative analysis of the attacks conducted in the analyzed period will enable the verification of the hypothesis and determine the prospects for the development of this aspect.

The Origins of Terrorism in Russia and the Specifics of Its Prevention in the Conditions of the Digitization of the Society

Based on the history of terrorism, its concept and methods of counteracting it in Russia, the authors research the problems of an active incorporation of modern information-telecommunication technologies in all spheres of social life, manifested in the emergence of considerable risks and threats to public safety. These technologies are analyzed as a means that provides terrorists with extra opportunities for involving new people in their criminal activities, for radicalization, illegal financing, creation of an attractive image of terrorism, new ways of committing, planning, organizing and coordinating terrorist groups in a remote mode, as well as for the collection and transfer of information, etc. These technologies are studied as a powerful instrument of manipulating public conscience and behavior that can effectively influence the public opinion and create a public image of the all-powerfulness of terror. The goal of this research is to study the concept of terrorism, its history in Russia, its causes and conditions, as well as to provide theoretical recommendations for its prevention. The method of content analysis of the works of Russian and foreign authors is used to achieve this goal. The key results of this work consist in identifying the causes of the emergence and spread of terrorism at different historical stages, as well as the system of informational counteraction to terrorism. The authors conclude that counteracting terrorism in the conditions of digitization through a prohibition of internet content with unlawful information is not fully possible and that such counteraction should be aimed at influencing the world view and legal conscience of people to eliminate the support for terrorism. The novelty of the work consists in the authors’ identification of the causes of terrorism, the development of suggestions aimed at counteracting terrorism in the conditions of the digitization of criminality and presented as various projects and actions that should be implemented on the territory of the whole country.

Государство и террор

Post-revolutionary terror in Russia is usually associated with the personality of Stalin. In fact, the intensity of terror was dictated by the logic of the survival of power, constrained on the one hand by Marxist doctrine, on the other by authoritarian tradition. So, the return to mass terror at the end of the 1920s was facilitated by the transition from the psychology of the world revolution to the psychosis of a besieged fortress. Hence the horrors of collectivization caused mainly by actions of the local authorities. The latter were helped in their own way by the townsfolk, who explained the food troubles by the actions of the rural “bourgeoisie”. The government, striving to become absolute according to the “only true” theory, needed enemies of an infernal scale – especially when it itself was in an economic impasse. In this sense, the terror of 1937 became inevitable. Subsequent waves of terror were also associated with the political maneuvering of the authorities.

In memory of Alter Lvovich Litvin (1931–2023)

The publication contains information about the life and work of an outstanding scholar, Doctor of historical sciences, Professor, historian Alter Lvovich Litvin, who passed away on March 6, 2023. The basic milestones of his life and creative way are reproduced, the results of his scientific research are described, and his contribution to the study and development of historiography, source study, archeography and history of Soviet society is revealed. Special attention is given to the research of A. Litvin on the history and historiography of the Russian Civil War and the history of the so-called “petty bourgeois” socialist parties as well as his groundbreaking studies of red and white terror in Russia which are highly regarded by both Russian and foreign historians. The significant place in A.L. Litvin's creative heritage is taken by his works on regional history – books and publications of sources about Civil War in the Volga region, about the bodies that carried out «revolutionary violence» – provincial Emergency Commission (Cheka) and its staff, about the tragic fate of their victims. The article shows organizational and pedagogical activity of A.L. Litvin as a founder of department of historiography and source study at Kazan University and founder of scientific school.
 Fot citation: Malysheva S.Yu., Salnikova A.A. In memory of Alter Lvovich Litvin (1931–2023). From History and Culture of Peoples of the Middle Volga Region. 2023, vol.13, no.2, pp.143–150. https://doi.org/10.22378/2410-0765.2023-13-2.143-150 (In Russian)

Новая книга об истории индивидуального политического террора в годы Гражданской войны в России

This article analyses the modern historiography of individual political terror in Russia during the Civil War in 1918. The role and significance of the terrorist acts of the summer of 1918 for the formation of Soviet penal policy are emphasized. There is a long historiographical tradition concerning these topics, which is based, on the one hand, on the traditional Soviet version, originating in the famous 1922 trial of the leaders of the Socialist Revolutionary Party, and, on the other hand, on alternative interpretations that were, at some point, presented in émigré and foreign historical literature. The focus of attention is the work of the famous Russian historian, Honoured Professor of Kazan University A.L. Litvin, who studies the assassination attempts on Vladimir Lenin in 1918. In addition, the paper touches upon various aspects related to the assassinations of V. Volodarsky and M.S. Uritsky. The authors examine the works of historian K.N. Morozov devoted to various aspects of the 1918 assassination attempts and the role of B.V. Savinkov and F. Kaplan in them. The publications of I.S. Ratkovsky and A.V. Shubin are noted. It is concluded that modern historical literature contains various assessments of those events: the assassins had personal but no direct political motives (A.L. Litvin); B.V. Savinkov’s organization was linked to the terrorist acts against V.I. Lenin and M. Uritsky in 1918 (K.N. Morozov). In addition, the article studies sources that have recently been introduced into scholarly discourse; it is noted that the current level of knowledge is insufficient for scholars to make final conclusions and thus calls for further research.

«Apocalypses of Revolutions», Mass Terror, War in Perception of Maksymilian Voloshyn as Eyewitness of the Events

The article offers a new interpretation of a creative output of Maksymilian Voloshyn in 1917–1924 in the light of his reactions on the apocalyptic events of the early 20th century — revolutions, wars in Russia. His own understanding of the October Revolution and Bolshevik terror, Maksymilian Voloshyn as the poet, the artist, and the thinker with the European outlook, comprehensively expressed in the complete conceptual text — in poetry, publicism, letters and diary notes. The proposed article underlies the idea of cause-and-effect relationships in history, which provoked an attempt to logically justify the systematic destruction of the country’s citizens by the same citizens. Using thorough historical sources, Voloshyn pointed out the spontaneity and cyclic character of the Russian history, specified immorality of the governors, their despotic style of state management, identified the inhuman nature of state structures at all times. His merit lies in the fact that during the years of the Red Terror, he frankly spoke about massacre, artificially created famine, tortures and executions of hundreds thousand people in 1919–1923, documented crimes of the Soviet government and its representatives. Maksymilian Voloshyn depicted many disgusting types generated by Bolshevik system. He revealed simultaneously historical roots of Russian terrorism, and also presented options for its manifestation at the level of both the authorities and the lower strata of society. Through parallels with revolutionary events, the analysis of the historical past of Russia, visualization of personalities, the writer shows internal mechanisms, which define a role and a place of Russia in “the general tragedy of mankind”. Besides, considering Russia the country with a “mad and terrible destiny”, an aggressor, a threat to the entire civilized world, Maksymilian Voloshyn managed to provide markers of its neutralization.

Information and propaganda counteraction to terrorism: the view of the younger generation

The emphasis on youth in the information and propaganda space allows the use of new improved methods of influencing consciousness (including through ICT), to form stable patterns, socio-political attitudes that have a prolonged effect. The article analyzes certain aspects of the information and propaganda counteraction to terrorism in Russia, describes the theoretical and methodological foundations of its study. The empirical part was the analysis of the results of the author's sociological research of the opinions of the youth of the Kursk region. The ideological motive for the spread of terrorism is the most multifaceted and difficult to eradicate. Information and propaganda counteraction to terrorism, according to the authors, is a complex of interrelated information and propaganda measures aimed at the objects of influence in order to change and block antisocial behaviors based on the ideology of terrorism, and the formation, preservation and reproduction of significant patterns of behavior for the sustainable development of society. Indicators of measuring the level of information and propaganda counteraction to terrorism in Russia are the basis of an empirical study. There is a widespread opinion among the youth of the Kursk region that ideology is closely linked to terrorism, and that Russian society needs an anti-terrorist ideology. The presence in Russian society of common goals, national ideas and awareness of past achievements can form its basis. According to young respondents, the information impact should be of a complex nature, ranging from the presence of important competencies of representatives of authorities and law enforcement agencies to the creation of an effective system of limiting information through various communication channels. Young respondents are more convinced that there should be a state body in Russia that counteracts extremism and terrorism in the information space. Young people pay special attention to professional training in countering terrorism. The work on carrying out propaganda anti-extremist actions in the Internet space with the involvement of bloggers, among others, will contribute to such counteraction. The younger generation is confident that social networks and virtual space contribute to the spread of terrorism to varying degrees. In general, sociological measurements have shown the presence of a number of risks and factors that worsen the work of the system of information and propaganda counteraction to terrorism. The first aspect is associated with the low efficiency of the communication channels used. According to the Kursk youth, such work should not be limited to actions in one area of communications. The system of information and propaganda counteraction to terrorism should combine a whole range of multidirectional measures using traditional channels and methods of communication in combination with ICT. Working with bloggers can become an effective method and channel of informational influence on young people. The second problem is based on the low level of Internet literacy of some Kursk youth. Some young people do not see the threat of terrorism in the Internet space. This category can become potentially vulnerable and influenced by the ideology of terrorism. The third aspect is related to the formation of a culture of countering terrorism in Russia, which should be based on rejection of the ideology of terrorism, increasing legal responsibility, the general level of education and a healthy lifestyle.

When Life Imitates Art: Éric Rohmer’s Triple Agent (2004) As a Primer for Real-Life Politics

This article examines the striking parallel between plans that were discussed in the CIA in 2017 to kidnap and possibly murder Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who was living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and the abduction and murder eighty years earlier in Paris of the head of the White Russian army in exile by the NKVD. The latter, one of the most notorious episodes in the history of espionage and counterespionage in the French capital during the interwar years, was fictionalized by Éric Rohmer in his 2004 film Triple Agent. Fusing the actual events of those years—the Popular Front government in France, the Stalinist Terror in Russia, and the build-up to the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939—with a tragic personal story, Rohmer exposed the human dramas without which the rival intelligence services could not have been as effective as they were. The events of the 1930s are long past, and even the Cold War years of the 1960s and 1970s have receded into the distance. But as this article shows, and Éric Rohmer’s film reminds us, the cloak- and-dagger game of spies and counterspies has not changed that much, the technologies of contemporary intelligence warfare notwithstanding.

ISLAMIC TERRORISM AS A THREAT TO THE SECURITY OF EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

The article presents the analysis of the threat to the security of Eastern European countries posed by groups and individuals invoking the ideology of radical Islam. Particular attention is given to the region’s two biggest countries: Russia and Ukraine. After a general assessment of the terrorist threat in individual countries based on the Global Terrorism Index, the following are analysed: evolution of the terrorism of North Caucasus groups, scale of threat from the Islamic State, and particularly from foreign terrorist fi ghters (FTFs), as well as examples of homegrown Islamic terrorism in Russia.

Finnish White Movement in Petrograd at the Beginning of 1918: Aims, Objectives and Results

The emergence of the Finnish White movement in Petrograd has hardly been studied by historians. Nevertheless, during the Civil War in Finland (January — May 1918), the “Finnish Whites” organized quite effective support for the “White Finland” from Petrograd. For the army of C. G. E. Mannerheim the “White Finns” organized the transfer of volunteers across the border. About ten group crossings of the state border were carried out. They also delivered weapons to the White Army. Terrorist activities were also organized on Soviet territory. For this purpose, a Special Petrograd company was organized from the Finns. The Finnish White movement in Petrograd completed its most active phase of the struggle only with the suppression of the revolution in Finland and the beginning of the Red Terror in Russia.

Economic Crises and Terrorism: Analyzing Competing Economic Pressures on Terrorism in Russia

AbstractThe prevailing academic consensus holds that economic hardship does not motivate terrorism. We argue that this academic consensus is misguided because it assumes a single causal pathway connecting the economy to terrorism. In addition, most tests rely on national-level macroeconomic measures of economic performance that are not well suited to capturing individual-level decision-making processes that motivate people to engage in political violence. We argue that shifts in economic performance have heterogeneous effects on terrorist activity. The suffering caused by economic hardship energizes pre-existing grievances and generates feelings of anger and resentment toward the government, making affected individuals susceptible to violent radicalization. Economic crises also increase opportunities for terrorist recruitment by weakening institutions for coping with the consequences of sharp economic downturns. On the other hand, the economic losses caused by crises reduce the resources available to terrorist groups. These competing pressures are difficult to observe at the national level and are not equally reflected in all measures of economic performance. We test these arguments using a novel dataset of terrorist attacks and terrorist crimes in the Russian federal subjects between 2008 and 2016. We find evidence to support opportunity- and resource-based arguments for terrorism. These findings suggest a need to rethink the academic consensus on terrorism and a need to problematize the theoretical and empirical approaches that brought us to the prevailing consensus.

Medical and biological consequences of terrorism in Russia and worldwide (2005-2018)

Relevance . Terrorist threats in the world are numerous, therefore biomedical consequences of terrorist attacks should be studied, along with their prevention. Intention . Analyze the biomedical consequences of terrorism in Russia and worldwide in 2005-2018 and calculate scientometric indicators of articles in the field of terrorism indexed in the Russian Science Index and Scopus. Methodology . The registered terrorist attacks and their biomedical consequences were studied in the world and in Russia according to the Global Terrorism Index, the EMERCOM and the Russian Ministry of Health. The abstract-bibliographic databases of the Russian Science Citation Index and Scopus were searched for journal scientific articles and whether these articles were considered relevant by readers. Results and Discussion. In 2005-2018 annually (8.1 ± 1.3) thousand terrorist attacks were registered in the world with (19.2 ± 3.4) thousand fatalities, including the terrorists themselves, and sanitary losses amounted to (25.4 ± 2.9) thousand people. In the period under study, these indicators tended to increase. On average, there were (2.4 ± 0.2) dead and (3.7 ± 0.4) injured per 1 terrorist attack in the world. The average annual economic damage from terrorism amounted to (51.7 ± 7.9) billion US dollars. According to the EMERCOM of Russia, in 2005-2017 (there were no terrorist attacks in 2018) 57 major terrorist attacks were recorded, in which 366 people were killed and 1717 people were injured. On average, 6-7 people died and 30 people were injured per 1 major terrorist attack. The ratio of dead and injured was 1 : 4.7. Over the same period, according to the Russian Ministry of Health, 1,100 terrorist attacks were recorded, in which 898 people died and 4,860 people were injured. On average, 1 person was killed and 4-5 people were injured per terrorist attack. The ratio of fatalities and injured was 1 : 5.4. A decrease in the number of terrorist attacks, irrevocable and sanitary losses is noted. Injured with extremely severe injuries due to terrorist attacks amounted to 8.1 %, severe - 18.2 %, moderate - 30.4 %, mild injuries - 43.4 %. Over time, there is a decrease in the proportion of extremely severe and severe conditions of injured, relative stabilization of the proportion of moderate conditions, and an increase in mild conditions. It is necessary to continue work on coordination of registration of emergencies in the EMERCOM of Russia and the Ministry of Health of Russia to improve reservation of funds to eliminate their consequences. The search in the Russian Science Citation Index and Scopus revealed 18,334 and 12,836 scientific articles, respectively, including 4,200 and 151 publications on biomedical consequences of terrorist attacks, over 2005-2018. There is a high demand for articles on the biomedical consequences of terrorism in Scopus: 81.5 % of publications were cited at least once, the average number of citations per article was 15.31. In the Russian Science Citation Index the scientometric indices were much smaller - 44.4 % and 1.70, respectively. Conclusion. The analysis of publications showed that use of medium and high power ionizing radiation sources, toxic chemical and biological agents in terrorist acts in the world is possible only if they are stolen from state organizations or if they are transferred by state organizations to third parties. At the same time, it should be noted that in the modern world, none of the countries, including Russia, can be recognized as adequately prepared to confront nuclear (radiological), chemical and biological terrorism. The most likely counteraction to such terrorist attacks are international conventions on the production, control and non-proliferation of highly toxic agents in the world. Databases of the Russian Science Index and Scopus open up great information to researchers on the study of terrorism. In addition to improving the innovative content of domestic articles, Russian scientists should include more citations from colleagues.

Исторический анализ женского терроризма в России 1860–1900-х гг.

Исторический анализ женского терроризма в России 1860–1900-х гг.

Analysis of the risk factors of emergence of terrorism in Russia

National terrorism is a complex issue, the cause for emergence of which lies in various factors and conditions that generate or are capable of generating it. The goal of this work consists in determining the key risk factors that contribute to emergence of terrorism based on expert polling of the members of academic community and law enforcement directly dealing with security of the Russian regions. The importance of this research is characterized by the fact that it allows assessing the main internal and external factors contributing to emergence and spread of national terrorism, causes thereof, and conditions that formed in Russia. The research is based on a social survey of experts in the area of security, containing questions on risk factors of terrorism. In the course of study, 72 causes for emergence of national terrorism were identified, which were later transformed into survey questions. The acquired results allowed establishing 18 main risk factors associated with the advent of terrorism. It was noted that the elimination of these risk factors will allow an overall reduction of the impact of less significant factors. The research results can be useful for countries and national regions experiencing high level of terrorist activity.

About some problems of the fight against terrorism in Russia and certain regions

About some problems of the fight against terrorism in Russia and certain regions

Russia-Spain Cooperation on Counter-Terrorism: New Challenges or Old Problems?

Against the backdrop of globalization, international terrorism is becoming a complex threat, which can be countered only by the united efforts of all countries. The level of cooperation of states does not fully correspond to the scale of the world terror challenge. Cooperation in the fight against terrorism at the bilateral level opens up more opportunities because it is based on mutual trust between States, with greater effectiveness, as well as practical impact and benefits, due to the knowledge of the situation and the ability to respond quickly. The inefficiency of the global counterterrorism system can be compensated by the mechanism of bilateral cooperation in the sphere of counter-terrorism, despite all the existing problems such as: sanctions, human rights, the need to promptly equate national laws and legislation in line with international laws, etc. The choice of the Russian Federation and Spain as a case study for this research is not accidental, since the interaction of both countries allows us to trace the development of mechanisms and instruments to counter terrorism on a bilateral basis. As a result of the comparative analysis, it is established that while Russian-Spanish relations began to deteriorate in 2014 as a result of the sanctions policy, the bilateral contexts of cooperation in the field of countering extremism have become comparable in two parameters: the overall level of the threat of terrorism in Russia and Spain, as well as the types of terrorist challenges on their territory.

THE TERROR OF THE PERIOD OF THE FIRST RUSSIAN REVOLUTION IN THE ASSESSMENT OF BRITISH DIPLOMATS (ON THE MATERIALS OF THE BRITISH NATIONAL ARCHIVE)

Purpose of the study: To explore in detail the terror of the period of the first Russian revolution in the assessment of British diplomats during the revolution of 1905-1907.
 Methodology: The research is based on archival documents, most of which are introduced into scientific discourse for the first time, as well as periodical press materials of that time. The research draws from the documents of the British National Archive and the Russian State Historical Archive (fund: 1276 - Office of the Council of Ministers). The article employs chronological, historical-typological, historical-genetic, comparative and illustrative research methods, as well as systematic analysis and synthesis.
 Main Findings: The research suggests that in 1905-1907 terror affected not only Russian but also British citizens. British reaction to terror in Russia slowed down the signing of a foreign policy agreement between the countries.
 Applications of this study: The study may be used by historians and everyone interested in the questions of the First Russian Revolution as well as the history of diplomatic relations with Britain. The results of the study can be used in universities to study the history of Russia and the history of international relations at the beginning of the 20th century.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: Many historians focus on terror in Russia during the revolution of 1905-1907. However, the reflections on revolutionary terror by British diplomats did not become a subject of research in Russian or foreign historiography.

Концепция террористической войны в России пореформенного периода

The work carried out a historiographic reconstruction of the conceptual justification of the terrorist war in Russia of the post-reform period. The concept of a terrorist war is seen as an alternative to the concept of the Russian liberation movement. On the basis of historical evidence of the «Russian Right», objective preconditions for the formation of the concept of a terrorist war are analyzed. It is shown that the Black-Hundred literature contained the basic definitions of revolutionary terror as a total war aimed at the destruction of the Russian national state. The psychodiagnostic characteristics of terrorists by Russian psychiatrists are given. The historiographic works of modern authors of the patriotic direction are reviewed, in which the concept of a terrorist war developed in black-hundred journalism has been rethought and supplemented. The author analyzed the statistical data and historical evidence of contemporaries about the leading role of revolutionary Jewry in a terrorist war. The reveals the issue of the formation of active participants and leaders of terrorist organizations from the the Jewish Pale, as well as the problem of sponsorship and ideological support of anti-Russian terror by the special services of Western countries. The author raised a topic concerning the ways and methods of resistance of the Russian people to revolutionary gangs. Given the main characteristics of the concept of a terrorist war as an anti-Russian, anti-state, criminal activity. As a result, the author comes to the conclusion that the concept of the Russian liberation movement is palliative, ideologically one-sided, Russophobic and does not reflect the objective processes of anti-Russian terror. Conversely, the concept of a terrorist war allows researchers to uncover historically accurate facts and approach an objective study of the causes and specifics of the phenomenology of terrorism in Russia.