On April 2, an explosion occurred at the Street Food Bar No. 1 café in Saint Petersburg during a “creative evening” hosted by pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky. As a result, Tatarsky was killed, and 33 others, including children, were injured.
The identity and motives of the person behind the assassination remain unknown. Therefore, we will not speculate on these matters when formulating our position.
We, the undersigned anti-war movements, condemn acts of terror and believe their primary cause is the criminal war that must be stopped. We also call for resisting the normalization of violence at all levels of life in Russia—from the home to the streets.
We note with sorrow that the level of violence is increasing—and in the context of war, it will continue to grow. The sole and fundamental reason for this is Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.
The Russian state destroys its own citizens as well as others daily, treating people as expendable resources to achieve abstract “goals.” We, on the contrary, assert that human life is the highest value and must be protected.
We reject terror—not only because it contradicts our ideals and moral values, but also because it diminishes the number of supporters for democratic change, fails to achieve political goals, and does not align with our concept of justice. We must address systemic issues within Russia—war, dictatorship, lack of freedom, and the normalization of violence. We do not believe this can be achieved with a bomb in hand.
Therefore, we responsibly declare that we do not employ such methods, do not encourage our readers, supporters, or activists to use them, and will never deliberately endanger lives by manipulating activists.
Undoubtedly, propagandists, politicians, and oligarchs close to the authorities bear direct responsibility for establishing a dictatorial regime in Russia and waging a criminal war against Ukraine. However, even they have the right to a fair trial and proportionate punishment based on law and principles of human rights.
It is precisely lawlessness, the absence of an independent judiciary, and the normalization of violence at all levels of society that have brought our country to its current state. We must strive to solve these problems, not reproduce them. Our task as democratic opposition movements is to ensure that Russians have a future worth fighting for and defending.
We must not only remain human ourselves but also explain to citizens the importance of democratic institutions, systems of checks and balances, and the rule of law. There are no simple recipes for democratization. However, if we begin to emulate the methods of the criminal regime, it will only distance us from our goals.
History offers no examples of revolutionary movements where terror led to democratization. On the contrary, such methods have always empowered repressive machinery, destroyed countless lives, and eroded hope for real change. Furthermore, the “collateral” victims of terror often include ordinary citizens.
Peace, the rule of law, democracy, and the value of every life are the principles we want to see as the foundation of our country’s future. Only by recognizing the importance of these principles and implementing them can we build a free and just system that resists power usurpation.
We will uphold these ideals even in the darkest times. Especially in the darkest times.
Signed by:
