#militsiya

[boycigs]

hhh hyper fem self insert

[txttletale]

genuine question: how do you reconcile police abolition with marxism-leninism? isn't having police a notable feature of marxist leninist regimes? this isn't a gotcha I'm just curious about how you reconcile this or what flaws exist in my conception of marxism-leninism

so there's an obvious theoretical answer to this, a more in-depth theoretical answer to this, and a practical answer that derives from the latter. the obvious theoretical answer is that my police abolitionist stance is based on the role of the bourgeois police force as enforcers of private property law--as the front line of class warfare against the working class. there is a material difference in the incentives and structures of a socialist police force operating on behalf of the working class as an organ of class warfare against the bourgeoisie.

but this isn't a complete and satisfying answer. i mean, obviously. the idea that the soviet militsiya and nkvd were in any way worse than the tsarist police and secret poice that came before them--or, for that matter, meaningfully worse than contemporary capitalist police forces, or the capitalist police forces in the post-soviet bourgeois states--is an anticommunist fabrication. but the idea that the militsiya was without its problems, that ordinary citizens did not have to worry about effectively unaccountable brutality in their interactions with these bodies, is also pretty detached from material reality. i think we can safely establish that the existence of a proletarian state alone isn't enough to solve the problems of a police force.

so what's the more complex theoretical approach? well, in a little number called state & revolution, v.i. lenin talks about 'special bodies of armed men' as opposed to 'self-acting armed organisations'--essentially drawing the conclusion that the former (police & military) were essentially removed from accountability--by virtue of their unique position and special privileges afforded to them by their uniforms, they're able to act as if and consider themselves as external to society, and so they're invariably doomed to be detached from the working class even if they are operating in their ostensible interest. meanwhile, the 'self-acting armed organization' is more like a militia, in the traditional sense of being fundamentally made up of ordinary people. this was why the militsiya was named that, because although it did ultimately develop into a 'special body of armed men' it began life as a revolutionary milita.

& i want to be clear that the importance of the self-acting armed organization is not an embrace of 'community justice' or whatever thinly veiled mob justice in a nice hat that anarchists like to sing the praises of. these militias should still be organized and structured, so that they can be accountable. but the importance of them being self-acting organizations instead of special bodies of armed men is that they are not removed from society. lenin discussed at length the example of the paris commune, and how civil servants within the commune were paid exactly the same as anyone else--and discussed how the advancement of both technology and education could create a world in which any citizen could (and therefore, indeed, would) take up a role in the administration of their society.

i think it therefore follows from what lenin wrote that the theoretical model of policing as self-acting armed organizations should result in a socialist state in which nobody is professionally, as a career, a 'police officer'. the work that constitutes 'policing' in a post-revolutionary society should be simple enough that anybody can and does do it--not on pure self-initiative but in a mobilized and organized fashion. this prevents the elevation of police to a body 'above society' and therefore capable of and even inclined to performi mass violence against that society.

and of course, the eternal question for marxists, what does this look like in practice: i think there have been succesful and interesting experiments in this sort of thing in socialist projects across the globe. most notably, i think that the cuban committees for the defense of the revolution are a good place to start, & so are mao's eight points of attention and three rules of discipline & the processes (not always succesful) to create accountability to the masses among the red guards and red army during and after the chinese civil war.

& of course, once there are no more classes, there will be no need for a state, or an apparatus to suppress the bourgeoisie more generally, and so the police will wither away with the rest of it.

[vertigo-express]

Duo: An appreciation

Let's talk about Duo, the bizarre spaceman of the Megaman series. Duo debuted in 1996 with Megaman 2: The Power Fighters. Duo was however, conceived in late 1995 when development on Megaman: The Power Battle was beginning to wrap up. A sequel was already decided on and Capcom's arcade division wanted the sequel to add in elements they didn't have time to implement such as support units and rescuing Roll. They wanted to further give this arcade game its own identity by introducing a character exclusive to it. This character was envisioned originally as deliberately being a farcry from the Classic Megaman design conventions established up to that point: A character that would fight using traditional kick and punches as opposed to firing projectiles or charging at the enemy. This also applied to his design which originally were more human seeming than any of the Classic robots sans Roll. He would be towering at 3 meters tall and could detect signals using the red jewel on his ushanka.

The original design prompt was simple: He would be a character with the flavor of "Russia" in mind. This was because Duo was intended to be Dr. Cossack's (from Megaman 4 (1991)) own creation. This very concept was said to have blown away series veterans Keiji Inafune and Hayato Kaji when they first glimpsed the concept art.

Eventually Kaji (designer for Megaman/Rockman X, Bass/Forte, Treble/Gospel and X3's Nightmare Police) took what existed and gave an updated design that had a more overt Russian influence. Apart from the ushanka, the Russian wrestler archetype was done away in favour of something inspired by USSR militsiya while tastefully mixed with robotic elements that give the appearance of being constructed with spare parts.

While the design was finalised, the character's background wasn't. Taking inspiration from Astroganger (1972), Keiji Inafune insisted to change Duo's story and to use him in the upcoming Megaman 8 (1996). This way, there would be a extra incentive to play Power Fighters in order to learn more about MM8.

This new story instead reimagined Duo as something of a small time law enforcer for a unknown intergalactic organisation who fell to Earth chasing a criminal hosting a malevolent energy source. Duo himself is imbued with his own energy that helps nullify evil energies and sense people's energy. Because of this, he can sense the justice that lies in people such as Rock and even Bass. This is clearly based off Astroganger's plot of a wicked energy source falling to the peaceful Earth and Astroganger himself being a hollow mass of energy inside his metal shell.

This change of background to tie in with 8 ended up causing some confusion between the Arcade division and the Rockman team at Capcom. This is seen in how Duo's victory lines in Power Fighters (that were muted in international releases) have him boast about protecting the "motherland" and telling his enemies to calm down. Duo in TPF is depicted as a more relaxed and calm man compared to the justice zealot that 8 and especially other media adaptations portray him as. He comes close to realizing Protoman's connection to Megaman, and believes Bass has potential to do good, seeing the latter's threats as mere puff. Duo's bgm by Masato Kouda also reflects the difference in character, as he pointed out that his theme was composed based on first impressions rather than knowledge of the role he would play in MM8. His theme in TPF leans close to contemporary Japanese New Jack Swing and RnB than the traditional superhero anthem reminiscent of 70s anime Duo would be associated with in MM8 and Battle n Chase.

Megaman 8 tells the story of how he met Megaman and company, after being repaired by Dr. Light from his crash landing. After a brief scuffle, Duo befriends Megaman and even rescues him when he is infected by the evil energy, he leaves to find the other evil energy but asks Protoman to tell Megaman his gratitude.

Duo would later appear as a special unlockable character in the racing spin off Battle n Chase having the strongest stats. He was originally available by a JP-only event, but was unlockable in the game in later re-releases and international releases.

Duo later appeared as a CD in Megaman and Bass (1998) and hasn't made any major appearance since. Dr. Cossack would eventually have his own major creation, the non-canon and underwhelming OVER-1 in Rockman X-OVER (2011) who shares design elements with Duo and X.

Duo was also re-imagined in the Battle Network series with the 4th game released in late 2003. Here, he is instead a judge-like figure who destroys planets he deems to be pure evil. It is only through Hub fighting him that he decides Earth to still be salvageable. His design was changed to be even more larger and with a neutral colour scheme to give a image of a placid stone faced judge.

Past all that, Duo in the original Megaman series serves a unique purpose that many other characters in the franchise failed miserably at. A attempt at a design type that would be deemed "unconventional" yet also fits with what has been established. This logic was also used for the Deep Log triplets for Rockman X DiVE in recent times but as we can see, they feel like insults to Megaman.

Duo, unlike Droitclair, Erato and Angiedjeedkcnnjcwekofofeecw has a unique purpose. His designers wanted him to stand out while still paying respects to the MM world which was almost 10 years old, the idea of parallel justice (a phrase often used in MM8 marketing material alongside "ultimate justice") and that somewhere out there, there is someone else who cares about everlasting peace just as much as Megaman is a great and substantial idea. He is essentially what a more adult Rock could be like. Duo should not be a recurring character at all but his existence no matter how surreal and bizarre adds a subtle depth to the original Megaman series. During the period of 1994-1998, Classic Megaman was trying to expand itself more and more and a concept as daring as Duo's, like the other ideas brought forth then, is a painful reminder of how lazy current day Capcom is with every facet of the series and proven with how disastrous the results of blindly replicating the same philosophy has been.

[weirdestbooks]

The USSR and the Battle for the Existence of Indigenous Countryhumans (Wattpad | Ao3)

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These newspapers and newsreels were compiled by The Countryhumans Research Archival Project, in conjunction with countryhuman experts Ailbhe O’Brien, Dr. Professor Zagajewski Zuboly, and Aili Vuorenmaa to draw attention to a little-known modern campaign to deny the existence of certain countryhumans. 

The subject of these propaganda newsreels and newspapers is condemned by everyone involved, and the experts would like to draw attention to the long documented histories of indigenous countryhumans.

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Published in the Правда, 15 April 1933, Translated from Russian by Anastasiya Volkova of the Countryhumans Research Archival Project

WESTERN SPY CAUGHT IMPERSONATING PERSONIFICATION IN PLOT TO KILL KARELIAN ASSR AND LENINGRAD OBLAST

On 13 April 1933, the Militsiya discovered two women in the Leningrad Oblast, claiming to be the personifications of nations meant to replace the Karelian ASSR and Leningrad Oblast. The women were attempting to incite riots and bring about an uprising meant to kill the Leningrad Oblast and the Karelian ASSR. A search of their home discovered capitalist leaders supported the plot as a land grab for capitalist nations, allowing them to gain a foothold inside the USSR. The two women and over a thousand co-conspirators were arrested.  

The Militsiya think this is only the first of many plots to try to assassinate personifications and replace them with human fakes. They encourage anyone with information on “personifications” not recognized by the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to bring the information to the Militsiya so they can prevent more of these plots. 

The Karelian ASSR and Leningrad Oblast have been brought to Moscow under the protection of their Father, the Russian SFSR, in order to prevent any attacks from succeeding. When questioned, they expressed their disgust at the plot.

“We expect to be targeted by capitalist plots from Finland, but what we don’t expect is these spies to have the audacity to impersonate nations to add legitimacy to their claims. It is a disgusting tactic that insults all countryhumans, as well as a dangerous plot and one that I will ensure is prevented to the full extent of my power.” Karelian ASSR stated, voice strong despite the recent threat to his life. He showed no fear and encouraged his people to do what they could to turn in more false personifications.

“The plot was so disgusting in its lack of respect for all countryhumans. I’m surprised by the gall to go through with it. We will do everything we can to prevent this, not only for the safety of our people but to preserve the integrity of the real nations born to ensure Russia a prosperous future.” Leningrad Oblast testified to the government as he called for a new law to prevent the impersonation of personifications.

The USSR says that the imposters will most likely try to pretend to be personifications of ethnic groups personified by the subdivisions of the USSR as a way to undermine the USSR’s subdivisions and gain control of large amounts of land. He encouraged the nation to stay strong and said that this plot, now that it has been discovered, will no longer pose any significant threat to any personifications.

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Published in the Правда, 20 April 1933, Translated from Russian by Anastasiya Volkova of the Countryhumans Research Archival Project

CAPITALIST PLOT TO DESTROY SOVIET PERSONIFICATIONS FOILED

Another co-conspirator in the plot to assassinate countryhumans has failed, and another arrest was made in the Karelian ASSR. The woman was found with many plans to assassinate the Karelian ASSR, stolen weapons, and a letter to Finland asking for the nation to annex the Karelian ASSR. The Militsiya have begun investigating her neighbors to see if they can discover more information on the plot or the locations of any more impostor countryhumans.

The threat has been contained to the Karelian ASSR and the Leningrad Oblast. However, officials warn that the plans could spread to other parts of the USSR and warn people to look out for their communities and personifications. 

The Karelian ASSR personally assisted in the arrest, claiming that he was not going to be intimidated by the threats to his life, and once again called for a law banning people from impersonating personifications.

“It is not the threat to my life that concerns me, but the insult to countryhumans worldwide. We live and struggle through so much pain to provide for our people, and people take our existence as a tool to attack each other. It is the vilest plot, and I strongly encourage my brother’s government to pass a law banning this action.”

The USSR was not available for comment, although the Russian SFSR and Moscow Oblast hinted that the government had plans to enact the law all personifications of the USSR have been calling for. 

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Published in the Правда, 20 May 1933, Translated from Russian by Anastasiya Volkova of the Countryhumans Research Archival Project

NEW LAW BANNING IMPERSONATIONS OF ANY PERSONIFICATIONS-REAL OR FAKE

A law heavily supported by the personifications of the USSR has just been passed, protecting the countryhumans from the rise of imposters who have been attempting to assassinate them for control of their land. The law states that anyone caught impersonating a countryhuman, regardless of their intention, will be convinced of treason and can face life in prison or even a death sentence. While it is a harsh punishment, the government hopes that this law will provide the countryhumans with the security they need.

“The punishment is harsh, yes, but that is because these people have done nothing but attempt to hurt my family.” the Russian SFSR said, “This law allows our country to protect my family and further us secure ourselves as a nation against the capitalist threat that seeks to hard to destroy us.”

The three imposters arrested last month will now face trial under this new law. All three have confessed to their plots and will be tried in a few days. More reports of imposters have come in, and under the new law, the Militsiya has begun investigations.

The Militsiya warns that just because this law is in place does not mean the threat is over and encourages citizens to keep an eye out for more imposters.

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Newsreel from Центральное телевидение СССР, aired 11 December 1933, Transcribed and Translated from Russian by Anastasiya Volkova of the Countryhumans Research Archival Project, with descriptions of the video to provide for easier understanding.

The video starts with a line of three men with faces painted to look like countries. 

(Transcribers Note: The flags are not ones any of the experts were able to track down as belonging to any known Russian indigenous personification, and to their best understanding, the flags were invented for the purpose of this propaganda video)

A hose sprays down the three men, washing off the paint and revealing human faces. The camera then pans away from them to the Crimean Oblast and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. 

(Transcriber’s Note: now known today as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Ukraine. At the request of Ukraine, they will be called by their Soviet-era names for the rest of the transcript) 

Their faces are blank and emotionless. Despite their well-made clothes, both look skinny and underfed, a result of Holodomor.

Ukrainian SSR [stepping towards the humans, voice confident]: This attempt at the lives of me and my people, my family, is a terrible and disgusting plot. You show no shame nor any dignity towards the lives of your countrymen or your countries.

Crimean Oblast just stands there, but her right-hand shakes. The camera then pans to another human, standing tall and proud with a large smile. 

Ukrainian SSR [off-screen]: This brave citizen reported your actions and provided us with the information we needed to catch you. I thank her not only for her service to her country but also for saving the lives of my daughter, Crimean Oblast, and me.

The camera then turns back to the humans pretending to be countries where they have been handcuffed and are being carried away by the NKVD.

Ukrainian SSR [off-screen]: May our country stay forever strong against capitalist threats!

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Recording of an Interview with Ukraine, 18 January 2021, Transcribed by Ailbhe O’Brien.

[start recording]

Interviewer: 18 January 2021. Interview with Ukraine on Soviet Propaganda against native countryhumans. 18 January 2021. Interview with Ukraine on Soviet Propaganda meant to discredit Indigenous Personifcations. Thank you for your time, Mr. Ukraine.

[papers shuffling, Interviewer coughing]

Ukraine: Prošu, buď laska. I am glad you reached out to me. I…I do not want to have the things I did as the Radianska Sotsialistychna Respublika be what I am remembered as. I want to explain myself.

Interviewer: Well, that is what we are for. [clears throat] Now, would you like to start, or would you like prompt questions?

Ukraine: I’m interested in your questions, although I might not always have answers.

Interviewer: That’s alright. Now, I assume it was not your decision to partake in the propaganda videos.

Ukraine: No, most propaganda stuff I participated in, I was coerced into doing. Rosiya and Soyuz Radyansʹkykh Sotsialistychnykh Respublik planned most of them. As the subdivisions, we were essential in their creation, as we helped…uh…show that more of the country was behind the ideals in them. No matter how much we disliked the contents, you didn’t have a choice. Free will was not something we were allowed to have.

Interviewer: What happened if you didn’t agree?

Ukraine [short laugh, bitter]: You did not have a choice. Even if you tried to disagree…[breathing heavy]

Interviewer: We can move on–

Ukraine: Ni! I can do this. Even if you tried to disagree, you would still be made to do it, one way or another. Even though, as the Radianska Sotsialistychna Respublika, I was not a colony by law, we…all of us…all…you were still under his control. And he had ways of making you listen. By then…by then most of us were too scared to speak against him. You feared for yourself and your people, and being manipulated like that, isolated and born into a terrible environment [Ukraine’s voice cracks]…you did bad things to just…feel safe, to stop the pain.

[Silence for about ten seconds.]

Interviewer [voice gentle]: Would you like another question?

Ukraine [Voice slightly teary]: Tak. 

Interviewer: Did you know what you were filming was planned? 

Ukraine [snort of laughter]: Of course I did. It was all nisenitnytsya. Propaganda videos we were in were always staged.

Interviewer: How did you react when you heard about what the 11 December 1933 video was going to be about?

Ukraine: I was probably not as horrified as people expect me to be. Soyuz Radyansʹkykh Sotsialistychnykh Respublik hated personifications in his country that weren’t his to control, so indigenous personifications were always a target of his. Creating actual propaganda to find out where they were and either kill them or lock them up was a logical next step for him. That’s the thing about Soyuz. For all his power, he lived in fear. That fear is why so many of us were hurt.

Interviewer: Have you ever been able to apologize to targeted countryhumans for your role, however forced, in this plot?

Ukraine: Ni. Most of them live off the grid now or as humans. They’re very hard to find because of what happened. I…[Ukraine pauses for fifteen seconds as fingers drum the table] I want to, but I’m not sure how realistic that will be.

Interviewer: Why not?

[Ukraine laughs]

Ukraine: Apologies aren’t really something we do. Besides, as I said, they stick to themselves now as a result of this. Given the chance, I’ll apologize for the videos I’m in, but as I said, this wasn’t my plan. There are two people they’d want an apology from, and one’s dead, and the other gave a flimsy one years ago and now thinks he’s in the clear.

Interviewer: You’re talking about Russia and the Soviet Union, correct?

Ukraine [dryly]: What gave it away? In any case���the legacy of those policies is going to affect Russia’s people, affect the people of all the former Sotsialistychna Respublika for a long time. My people believe in them now, the governmentless ones, but there are still many conspiracy theorists in my land and abroad who believe in the lies we told almost a hundred years ago. 

Interviewer: I’ve seen quite a few of those conspiracy theorists before. One of them attempted to break into a CRAP office to “destroy information about fake countryhumans” in reference to a few interviews done with the indigenous countryhumans Aleut and Haida. I didn’t realize that conspiracy theory originated with the Soviet propaganda.

Ukraine: Oh, I’m sure it existed long before Soyuz made it law. I think we just worsened it. Do you have any more questions?

Interviewer: I have more, just not about the propaganda. Do you want to do those now or arrange a different time to talk about your life?

Ukraine: I think that is an interview I would like to do later when I have more time to prepare myself [Ukraine laughs]. I didn’t have a happy life, and I’m really only willing to talk about the propaganda today.

Interviewer: Understandable. It was nice meeting you, Mr Ukraine.

[inaudible, recording ends]

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Newsreel from Центральное телевидение СССР, aired 14 February 1934, Transcribed and Translated from Russian by Anastasiya Volkova of the Countryhumans Research Archival Project, with descriptions of the video to provide for easier understanding.

The USSR is sitting behind a desk with a small smile.

USSR: Hello, citizens of my country. I am sure that most of you are aware of the past threats to my life and the lives of my brothers, Karelian ASSR and Leningrad Oblast, from imposters pretending to be countries hoping to kill and replace us. While it is nice to think that the threat is over with the new law's passage, it is not. The Militsiya has found evidence that this threat is still very much present and still puts my family’s safety at risk. That is why I ask you, my people, my comrades, to keep an eye out for these threats and to do what you can to make our home safe from all those who wish to destroy it. These imposters think they can destroy us, and I know you can prove them all wrong.

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Recording of an Interview with Leningrad Oblast, 20 January 2021, Transcribed and Translated from Russian by Anastasiya Volkova of the Countryhumans Research Archival Project.

[start recording] 

Anastasiya [in English]: 20 January 2021. Interview with Leningrad Oblast on Soviet Propaganda meant to discredit Indigenous Personifications.

Anastasiya: Hello, Mr. Leningrad Oblast.

Leningrad Oblast: Hello, ma’am. Please, call me Leningrad. We’re here to discuss the…propaganda created to discredit the indigenous countryhumans, correct?

Anastasiya: Yes, we are. Thank you for coming. And, if you don’t mind, can I ask a favor?

Leningrad Oblast [nervously]: Father won’t do an interview. His government has banned him from it. They don’t know I’m doing this, actually. 

Anastasiya [alarmed, concerned]: We don’t have to do this if it’ll– [cut off by Leningrad Oblast laughing]

Leningrad Oblast: Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. 

Anastasiya: Are you sure?

Leningrad Oblast: Yes, I’m sure. Now, the questions?

Anastasiya: Ah, yes. Now, we have heard from others that it was not their decision to participate in the propaganda. Was it your decision, or were you also coerced into doing it?

Leningrad Oblast: Not as much as the more ethnic subdivisions were. They had more division, more hate for the USSR and my father. I was more willing to follow my father and brother into whatever plan they had. I…I genuinely believed I was helping people.

Anastasiya: I know that many of the indigenous personifications and their people were also your people. Were you not affected by their opinion?

Leningrad Oblast [sadly]: Of course I was…they were still my people at the end of it all. But my father, brother, and the respective governments practically trained us from birth to ignore the calls of our people in favor of whatever they were saying. They called the voices of dissent a sickness, a plague from capitalist nations that they were trying to cure with the deportations. They told us that listening to them did not help them. They compared it to martial law. Do you know how that works?

Anastasiya: I do, yes. Were you taught that the indigenous countryhumans were all fakes?

Leningrad Oblast: I…when I was a child, I believe I knew they were real. But during this time, the schools changed what they taught, and the USSR did everything he could to destroy evidence of their existence. So I forgot, too. Not to mention, it was so ingrained in everything we did; you just believed it. So yes, I was taught they were not real. I believed they were not real. [Leningrad Oblast’s voice becomes regretful] No matter the evidence, I was firm in that stance.

Anastasiya: When did you start to think differently?

Leningrad Oblast: Oh, I wish I could say I thought differently during the 1960s and 1980s, but I did not think differently until I saw…I started to believe that other countries could have them, but I did not believe we could until I saw some of them on TV, in newspaper photos, telling the stories of their people and what we did to them. It was like a punch to the face. You think you are protecting your people, both the Russians and the ethnic minorities, by exterminating the fakes. Finding out…no, realizing the truth was hard. I am not so disillusioned to believe I am a good man, but in that moment, it really hit me that I am not a good man. 

Anastasiya: Have you ever tried to apologize for it, or even want to?

[Leningrad Oblast sighs, and there is a silence]

Leningrad Oblast: There are two answers I can give. One will make the humans happy. The other is the more… actual reality behind things. So I will provide the best answer I can, prefaced with this. I am not human. I feel emotions and regret, of course, but like all personifications, I express them very differently than humans do. I regret it, of course, and if I got the chance, I would apologize for the suffering. But I will not seek them out to apologize. I thought I was helping my people. I was not trying to kill them. [Leningrad Oblast’s voice becomes hard] If the USSR was, then he was trying to kill them, but I was told I was helping my people, and I, perhaps foolishly, believed that. I will not apologize for trying to do the best for my people.

Anastasiya: Thank you for the honesty. 

[inaudible]

Anastasiya: And I thank you for your courage. 

Leningrad Oblast: Sometimes I wonder if courage is more foolishness. I have seen far too many people do stupid things in the name of courage. However, that is a talk for another time. Anything else?

Anastasiya: Was it easy for you to become convinced of the fact that the indigenous personifications were actually fake?

Leningrad Oblast: I’m…uh…I’m not too sure. Sorry.

Anastasiya: That’s alright. Do you have anything else you feel you need to say on this topic?

Leningrad Oblast: No…no, I don’t think I do. Thank you for the opportunity.

Anastasiya: Thank you for coming Mr. Leningrad Oblast. 

[end recording]

——————————

Recording of an Interview with Izhoria, 21 January 2021, Transcribed and Translated from Izhorian and Finnish by Aili Vuorenmaa. 

[start recording] 

Interviewer: [in English] 21 January 2021. Interview with Izhoria, also known as Izhorians on Soviet Propaganda meant to discredit Indigenous Country Spirits.

Interviewer: Tere, Izorit. Thank you for agreeing to do this. It means a lot to be able to build a more complete record for the archives.

Izhoria: One of us needed to tell our story and tell the world what happened.

Interviewer: If you don't mind, why did you approach us for the interview? No offense to you, of course. This was just a surprise.

Izhoria: It is no trouble on my part. There are already too many lies about my life and that of my daughter. I feel it is only right to have my story recorded. I know you probably have questions, but I would like a moment to talk and explain my side.

Izhoria: North Ingria and I never had any plans to kill Karelia, or Russia, or any of them. We wanted to be left alone in peace to live our own lives. The USSR had been bearing down on us for quite a while, trying to make us become Russians or accusing us of being spies. It was them being insecure about the fact that they couldn’t control all the Finnic native personifications. North Ingria and I knew something might happen to our people or us. We didn’t expect the witch hunt we got. Even the Russian Empire, as much of an asshole he was, still acknowledged the existence of native personifications. Even the worst people did. They knew we existed, and most didn’t try to deny it. But then the police came and arrested North Ingria and me.

Interviewer: Did you know why? 

[Izhoria makes a strange noise, almost like a laugh]

Izhoria: I did. We both did. [Izhoria makes a noise almost like her voice breaking but passes so quickly it is hard to tell]. North Ingria was terrified. They seemed to focus more on her than me, presumably because her father was Finland. They called her a spy and said she was reporting things to her father so Finland could come and attack the USSR. I think we both feared for her life.

Interviewer: Was that because she was in contact with her father?

Izhoria: I can’t say for sure. The letters were never anything more than familial conversation between a father and daughter, and it was never about anything like trying to restart North Ingria as a country. Neither of us was guilty of anything besides being perceived threats to insecure boys. Our crime was our existence, and in North Ingria’s case, trying to keep in touch with her father and little brother after Uhtua passed. 

Interviewer: Did you know about the law that would be passed?

Izhoria: Not until a few months later, when Moscow Oblast tried to…convince…me to give up my human name and face so they could monitor me and give me “proper” arrest documents. After all, I wasn’t a real personification to them, so they refused to accept documents with Ižóra.

Interviewer [shocked]: I thought discussing human names and faces was a taboo for country spirits?

Izhoria: It depends on the countryhuman whether or not that information is given freely. My own opinions on it didn’t matter. I would not give them up, not to the people who I knew wanted me dead. When you are threatened, you don’t give your enemy a weapon. Moscow Oblast eventually realized I was not giving them up and had me deported. 

Interviewer: I know that despite the law eventually being repealed, indigenous country spirits still face hate and people claiming they are fakes. Is that something you’ve dealt with?

Izhoria: What humans say about my existence does not bother me. I am a very old woman who has been through many things. People will always find reasons to hate what they don’t like, and I will not dedicate my time to justifying my existence to them. 

Interviewer: I see. Is there anything else you would be willing to discuss with us about North Ingria or yourself?

Izhoria: North Ingria did not deserve to die for who her father was, and neither of us was guilty of any real crime. Is that all you need?

Interviewer: Yes, it is. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

[end recording] 

——————————

Letter received from Ingrian Finns, 13 March 2021, Translated from Finnish by Aili Vuorenmaa. 

Countryhumans Research Archival Project, 

Hyvää Iltaa, I regret that I am not able to address this subject in person, but I have heard of your latest project from Izhoria and how she testified to your cause. If I understand correctly what your project on the USSR laws is for, I believe it’s only fitting that you hear my side of the story as well. I respect Izhoria greatly, but she does not know the full events of what happened to my mother, the personification of North Ingria before me.

The details of her life after Izhoria is a story lost to time, surviving only in the remains of the life I remember.

Where her life ended, mine began. I sincerely hope my story and the information I can provide will assist you in reaching your goal and answer any questions you may have wanted to ask me, including what happened to the personifications that did not survive the oppressive laws.

I was born in 1938, five years after the persecution of indigenous countryhumans became legal. 

I was born thousands of miles away from my people’s homeland, in the same gulag my mother was killed in, Krasnojarsk. I do not know how she died, and I do not want to find out. I have seen enough in my short life. I do not want to see any more. I was born scared, alone, and in a place I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. 

From birth, I learned to hide, to stay quiet, to avoid drawing eyes on me. My existence was illegal; my mother had been killed for being who she was. If I'd been found out, I would be as well. Anyone who followed me would probably be killed or, worse, taken by Russia and the USSR and forced to forget who they were supposed to be. If they could not kill us, they would control us.

As much as it scared me to be Inkeri, I had to be for my people.

Every day, I tried to help even though I was so young and didn’t really know anything. I tried to help, but I was just a kid, alone and scared in a gulag, the only home I had ever known.

In my dreams, I was haunted by the memories of how my mother came to that horrific place and comforted by the faint memories of a happy childhood. It was a confusing and terrifying time. I thank my people’s strength for keeping me strong through it all, keeping me going despite the fear and uncertainty and the fact that I was so alone as a countryhuman.

The Soviet countryhumans would not help me, either supporting the plan willingly or being forced to, as they were given no choice but to be whatever was demanded of them. Any indigenous countryhumans that had been arrested were either dead, were a child like me dealing with the aftermath, or were far away, in another prison. The Soviets tried to keep indigenous couuntryhumans away from each other, scattered in different prisons, with minor exceptions. I once saw Crimean Tatars in Krasnojarsk (probably arrested for being an imposter, as Crimea existed, but I could never be sure), but I never spoke to him. I feared he would realize what I was and accidentally reveal my existence to the Soviets. As far as the Soviets were concerned, Inkeri was dead, and my survival depended on them continuing to think that.

My survival depended on many things going my way.

I only lived through the help of others. Some were the few people who recognized me for what I was, and others were the people who had just seen a child with no family, name, or home and wanted to help him. Those people were kind in ways I cannot describe. I miss them dearly, as they all passed long ago, but I know they are at peace now, which brings great comfort.

I sometimes wonder if that is odd to those who expect me to be grieving. I think most of the world thinks I am in a constant state of grief, but I am not. It has never helped me once to spend time on grief. It has not helped my people either. If we hadn't had sisu, we wouldn’t have survived and would have withered away like they wanted us to.

I might have lived in fear, but I refused to wither away. I was afraid, but my love of life was stronger than that fear. I had many things I wanted to do when–and I do mean when. I always hoped I might be free one day, and I had dreamed about what I could do when my time in the gulag ended.

I wanted to go home, for I was so terribly homesick. That might sound odd to you, as I was born and raised in Krasnojarsk, but I was homesick for Ingria. I was homesick for my people’s homeland, a place I had never been to or seen. 

I am still homesick for that place, as I have never been able to live there. Part of that is due to Russia’s laws, the rest from my fear of him and being killed like my mother was. One day, I hope I can feel safe enough to live there. 

You may ask why I do not go home, why I still fear Russia, despite the end of the USSR and despite the removal of the law that had branded me a spy and traitor since birth. I do not go home because while my people have been given the freedom to, I still find resentment in Russia when I wear my flag.

The law is gone, but many people still consider me an imposter spy. The UNPO, bless her soul, tried to protect me from that hate when I was part of her organization, but I knew it existed. I am used to not being liked. It is simply a part of my life. I cannot stop it, so I ignore it the best I can.

As much as I talk about my lack of grief for a life of tragedy, there are some things I feel and wish that might be easier for you to understand. I wanted for so long, and now still, to be human. While it would not have saved me from the gulag, it would have saved me from the paranoid fear that has controlled my life, the fear that made it hard for me to make friends, to return home permanently, and truly live in the place I have missed.

If you know anything about my time with UNPO, you’ll know that I am not a man who speaks often, despite everything I have to say in this letter. I am not mute because of a lack of things to say; I have much I want to share, but I am mute because of the dangers of having a voice. That is why I prefer writing. I can collect my thoughts and be safe from the repercussions of having a voice. 

I don’t tell you this because I want sympathy or pity. I tell you this because I want my voice to be heard, I want my mother’s name to be remembered, I tell you this because I need you to understand. I do not want my pain to be forgotten. I do not want the stories to be left untold. 

I am happy you are willing to lend me a voice, lend Izhoria a voice, and ensure we can say our part. I feel indigenous countryhumans and our stories are often overlooked, and to know you will draw attention to such a terrible piece of history brings me some peace.

Maybe, finally, people will understand. 

I leave you with that story and the hope that everyone reading this letter will understand me a little bit more. I wish you luck on your project, and I thank you for this opportunity to speak.

Sincerely, 

The Countryhuman of the Ingrian Finns

[ambasingresident]

Expanded my AU a bit by formally giving prominent roles for some supporting characters who will be present in the AU from time to time.

Vasily's (Military) Companions:

1. Artyom Chekov

A rifleman and sharpshooter of Vasily's milita

Vasily's second in command to the Kansk Militsiya should he be absent

A former paper manufacturer before the war

Despite having a boy name, Artyom is actually a girl

Provides Ellio paper for his needs through his old connections as a paper manufacturer

2. Boris Baladin

An assault soldier of Vasily's milita

Childhood and family friend of Vasily, knew him in Kansk during the 1940s

Boris is Ukrainian who was born into a family of Ukrainian dissidents of the Russian Empire who were exiled to Siberia

Boris and Vasily actually served in the military together back in Irkusk (Presidentium of the Supreme Soviet) during the 1950s although Boris enlisted in the army and Vasily recruited into the NKVD

Boris lost an eye during the Siberian War where he was hit by an artillery shrapnel

Boris would have been purged and executed by the NKVD but managed to defect along with Vasily and a couple of military personnel

3. Ivan Devin

A skirmisher of Vasily's milita

He's the militia's cook and (to some extent) medic

He was a former combat medic for Tomsk (Central Siberian Republic) as a republican soldier

He would cook good food for the militiamen, he would also give some recipes to Vasily for Ellio to enjoy

Besides the AK-47, he also brings an axe to not only chop wood, but also chop enemies

4. Dmitry Dmitriev

A machine gunner of Vasily's milita

Operates a Maxim machine gun, would often go crazy when given a shitton of ammunition for the machine gun

Is a silly goofball who should not be trusted with operating a machine gun

A former worker at a weapons manufacturer and soldier of the Central Siberian Republic, thus his knowledge of guns

He's actually gay, thus he doodled his helmet to show his pride towards his preference (he doodled a symbol of the gay gender over a Soviet red star)

Bonus Art:

"Teaching the art of origami"

Vasily's troops were so impressed with Ellio's skill in origami when he showed Ellio's creation of an origami of him in his horse that they requested to Vasily if Ellio can teach them how to do origami. The troops had fun with making origami, Vasily joined in the fun and decided to make a swan origami and showed it to Ellio.

(And uhh Ellio Ovelot belongs to @yunaisky)

[eye-of-enigmatic-thought]

Tfw the ghost of a corrupt militsiya officer you killed is haunting you and you have the inconvenient automatic ability to make ghosts more physical around you to talk to them and now the vengeful spirit of a pig intends to use that to kill you.

Doodles for one fic idea I have with Grig! Sorry that I've been so slow in writing anything with him even if I said before I really wanted to, last year and this was incredibly rough and I still haven't really recovered, but I haven't forgotten about these guys yet! xD

[destroying-iof-prostates-4-hamas]

A liberal anarchist Luxemburgist Titoist IWW member professor and Rojava foreign fighter was teaching a class on Irving Kristol, a known Trotskyite.

"Before the class begins, you must get on your knees and worship Kristol and accept that he was the most class-conscious being the world has ever known, even greater than Thomas More!"

At that moment, a brave, patriotic, pro-worker Spetsnaz champion who had served 1500 tours of duty and understood the necessity of Socialism in One Country and fully supported all military decision made by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics stood up and held up the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

"Why did Stalin invade Poland?"

The arrogant professor smirked quite Ukrainianly and smugly replied "He was a fascist, you stupid tankie"

"Wrong. He invaded to save eastern Poland from Hitler. If he was a fascist, as you say, why didn’t he declare war on Germany in 1939 like the fascist imperialist states of France and Britain?"

The professor was visibly shaken, and dropped his chalk and copy of Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks. He stormed out of the room crying those bourgeois crocodile tears. The same tears American pigs cried for the "kulaks" (who lived in such luxury that most owned combine harvesters) when they were sent to face punishment for their crimes against the people in corrective-labor camps. There is no doubt that at this point our professor, Noam Chomsky, wished he had joined the Stalin Society and become more than a bourgeois liberal professor. He wished so much that he had a gun to shoot himself from embarrassment, but he wasn’t a member of the Communist Party!

The students applauded and all registered Communist that day and accepted Enver Hoxha as their lord and savior. An eagle named “Withering away of the state" flew into the room and perched atop the Red Flag and shed a tear on the chalk. The Internationale was sung several times, and Kim Jong-un himself showed up and incited a new Intifada.

The professor lost his tenure and was fired after the ensuing Second Bolshevik Revolution. He was arrested by the Militsiya and sent to Siberia where he was executed with an ice axe to the head.

An ultra-leftist anarcho-liberal zionist professor and trotskyite wrecker was teaching a class on Amadeo Bordiga, a known revisionist.

"Before the class begins, you must get on your knees and worship Bordiga and accept that he was the the greatest communist theorist the world has ever known, even greater than Lenin!”

At this moment, a brave, nationalistic Red Army tank commander who had killed 1500 Kronstadt Sailors and understood that famines happen all the time because of material conditions and fully supported all military actions by Putin stood up and held up an AK-47.

”Who uses this weapon, ultra?”

The arrogant professor smirked quite revisionistly and smugly replied: “State capitalist imperialists, you stupid tankie”

”Wrong. It’s a weapon used by freedom fighters the world over. From Russia and Iran to our comrades in the Islamic State, this gun is a symbol of REAL AND ACTUALLY EXISTING socialist movements”

The professor was visibly shaken, and dropped his chalk and copy of The Conquest of Bread. He stormed out of the room crying those bourgeois crocodile tears. The same tears ultras cry for the “Kulaks" (who lived in such bourgeois luxury that they had bread to eat) when they jealously try to claw justly earned labour vouchers from the deserving vanguard. There is no doubt that at this point our professor, Leon Trotsky, wished he had learned the importance of dialectics and become more than a sophist leftcom professor. He wished so much that he had a gun to shoot himself in embarrassment, but his undialectic anarchist commune forbid weapons!

The students applauded and all registered CPGB-ML that day and accepted Lenin as their lord and savoir. An eagle named “The Dictatorship of the Proletariat” flew into the room and perched atop the Soviet flag and shed a tear on the chalk. Several saying were read aloud from Maos book, and Stalin himself showed up and gave them extra bread rations for a week.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 11.10

Holidays

Area Code Day

Day of Remembrance of Ataturk (Turkey)

Day of Russian Militsiya (Russia)

Día de la Tradición (Day of Tradition; Argentina)

Dr. Livingstone, I Presume Day

Father’s Day (Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden)

Forget-Me-Not Day

The Goddess of Reason, Liberty & Philosophy Feast Day (a.k.a. Goddess of Reason’s Day; France)

Guinness World Records’ Day

Hari Pahlawan (Heroes' Day; Indonesia)

Harrow Day (French Republic)

International Accounting Day

International Giantess Day

International Interns Day

International Science Center and Science Museum Day

Los Santos Uprising Day (Panama)

Maputo Day (Mozambique)

McHappy Day

Microsoft Windows Day

Militia Day (Tajikistan)

National Bong Day

National Civic Pride Day

National Science Center & Science Museum Day

National Toothpaste Appreciation Day

National Wheat Day (Brazil)

National Yawning Day

National Young Reader’s Day

NET Cancer Day

Not A Father's Day

Police Day (Russia)

Quark Day

School Counselor & School Psychologist Recognition Day (Australia)

Scots Fir Day

Sesame Street Day

Sleep Dangerously Night

Toilet Day (Japan)

Toothpaste Appreciation Day

U.S. Marine Corps Day (a.k.a. USMC Day)

Wear Green Day

Winegrower and Winemaker’s Day (Ukraine)

Wizard Day

World HTLV Day

World Immunization Day

World Keratoconus Day

World Public Transport Day

World Run Day

World Science Day for Peace and Development (UN)

World Top Up Day

World Youth Day (WFDY)

Youth Day (Kyrgyzstan)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Gooseberry Day (India)

National Boilermaker Day

National Mussels Day

National Pork Belly Day

National Vanilla Cupcake Day

Independence & Related Days

First Cry of Independence Day (a.k.a. Los Santos Uprising Day; Panama)

2nd Sunday in November

Day of Prayer for the Promotion of the Redemptorist Missionary Vocation [2nd Sunday]

European Day of Wine Tourism (EU) [2nd Sunday]

Father’s Day (Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden) [2nd Sunday]

Grandparents’ Day (South Sudan) [2nd Sunday]

Hasla Bayramy (Harvest Festival; Turkmenistan) [2nd Sunday]

International Tongue Twister Day [2nd Sunday] (also 3.2]

National Day of Mourning (Germany) [2nd Sunday]

National Donor Sabbath [2 Sundays before Thanksgiving]

National Pupusa Day (El Salvador) [2nd Sunday]

National Tree Festival (Tunisia) [2nd Sunday]

Orphan Sunday [2nd Sunday]

Remembrance Sunday (Australia, Canada, UK) [2nd Sunday]

Sandwich Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Seven For Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sleepy Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Sundae Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sunday Funday [Every Sunday]

Survey Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Swans and Ladders Tournament (Mirano, Italy) [2nd Sunday]

Volkstrauertag (Memorial Day; Germany) [Sunday before Totensonntag]

Weekly Holidays beginning November 10 (2nd Full Week of November)

Geography Awareness Week [2nd Week]

Global Antibiotic Awareness Week [2nd Week]

International Fraud Awareness Week [2nd Week]

International Week of Science and Peace (thru 11.16] [Week Including 11.11]

National Nurse Practioner’s Week (thru 11.16]

National Split Pea Soup Week [2nd Week]

National Young Reader’s Week [2nd Week]

Operating Room Nurse Awareness Week (thru 11.16) [2nd Full Week]

Orangutan Caring Week (thru 11.16) [2nd Full Week]

Perioperative Nurse Week (thru 11.16)

Transgender Awareness Week [2nd Week]

World Kindness Week (thru 11.16) [Week Including 11.13]

Festivals Beginning November 10, 2024

Jamaican Jerk Festival (Miramar, Florida)

Mayday (Katowice, Poland)

South Florida Seafood Festival (Coconut Grove, Florida)

Feast Days

Adelin of Séez (Christian; Saint)

Áed mac Bricc (a.k.a. Aed MacBrice; Christian; Saint)

Ancestor Day IV (Pagan)

Andrew Avellino (Christian; Saint)

Arbrosimus (Christian; Saint)

Baudolino (Christian; Saint)

Chhath Parwa begins (4-Day Hindu/Vedic Festival of the Sun God Surya; Nepal)

Chhat Puja Parva begins (a.k.a. Surya Sasthi; 4-Day Hindu/Vedic Festival of the Sun God Surya; Parts of India)

Cthulu Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Elaeth (Christian; Saint)

El Lissitzky (Artology)

Festival of Cybergnosticism

Festival of Spiritual Indulgence

Festival of St. Bebiana (from beer, "to drink")

Friedrich von Schiller (Writerism)

Galungan (Celebrating Victory of Dharma over Adharma; Bali)

Grellan (Christian; Saint)

Gus the Mailman (Muppetism)

Henry IV (Positivist; Saint)

Holly Black (Writerism)

Jacob Epstein (Artology)

James Broughton (Writerism)

Justus, Archbishop of Canterbury (Christian; Saint)

Kate Seredy (Artology)

Leo I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Look Inside Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Look on the Bright Side of Life Day (Pastafarian)

Louis le Brocquy (Artology)

Lübeck martyrs (Christian; Martyrs)

St. Martin's Eve [patron saint of tavern-keepers] (a.k.a. ... 

Mārtiņi (Ancient Latvia)

Martinisingen (Germany)

Martinmas Eve

Milles, Bishop of Susa (Christian; Saint)

Neil Gaiman (Writerism)

Nincnevin (Old Scots festival celebrating Diana)

Noemí Gerstein (Artology)

Nymphia (Christian; Saint)

Old November Eve (Honoring the Goddess Nicnevin; Ancient Scotland)

Sina (Christian; Saint)

Theoctiste (Christian; Saint)

Tryphena of Rome (Christian; Saint)

Trypho, Respicius and Nympha (Christian; Martyrs)

Wangala Festival (Meghalaya, India)

Wild Hunt Day (Celtic Book of Days)

William Hogarth (Artology)

Wish-Spoiling Sports Day (Imps, Gremlins, and Grumpy Goblins; Shamanism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Binary Day [1011] (8 of 9)

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [54 of 57]

Unglückstage (Unlucky Day; Pennsylvania Dutch) [27 of 30]

Premieres

Ben and Me (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

Blank Space, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2014)

Blueing the Blues, recorded by Muggsy Spanier (Song; 1939)

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Live: 1975-85 (Live Album; 19986)

Butterflies (UK TV Series; 1978)

Catch-22, by Joseph Heller (Novel; 1960)

Change of Habit (Film; 1969)

Dash & Lily (TV Mini-Series; 2020)

Days of Future Passed, by The Moody Blues (Album; 1967)

Don’t Blame Me, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2017)

Dug’s Special Mission (Pixar Cartoon; 2009)

The French Lieutenant's Woman, by John Fowles (Novel; 1969)

Fuck (Documentary Film; 2006)

Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (Animated Film; 2015)

God Bless America, by Irving Berlin, sung by Kate Smith (Song; 1938)

The Golden Bowl, by Henry James (Novel; 1904)

Good Noose (WB LT Cartoon; 1962)

Happy Land (Film; 1943)

Horses, by Patti Smith (Album; 1975)

The Iceman Cometh (Film; 1973)

I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night, by The Electric Prunes (Song; 1966)

The Living Desert (Documentary Film; 1953)

The Marvels (Film; 2023)

Murder on the Orient Express (Film; 2017)

My Left Foot (Film; 1989)

Nights in White Satin, by The Moody Blues (Song; 1967)

Paddington 2 (Film; 2017)

Piano Concerto in C Major, by Ferruccio Busoni (Piano Concerto; 1904)

The Polar Express (Animated Film; 2004)

Rebel Yell, by Billy Idol (Album; 1983)

Reputation, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2017)

Riot in Rhythm (Flesicher/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1950)

Sesame Street (Children’s TV Series; 1969)

The Song of Hiawatha, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Poem; 1855)

Stranger Than Fiction (Film; 2006)

There They Go-Go-Go! (WB LT Cartoon; 1956)

Those Beautiful Dames (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Film; 2017)

Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

The Vicar of Dibley (UK TV Series; 1994)

Violin Concerto in B Minor, by Edward Elgar (Violin Concerto; 1910)

Welcome to the Pleasuredome, by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (Album; 1984)

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula Le Guin (Novel; 1968) [Earthsea #1]

The Wreckers, by Ethel Smyth (Opera; 1906)

Wyrd Sisters, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1988) [Discworld #6]

Zuma, by Neil Young (Album; 1975)

Today’s Name Days

Andrea, Andreas, Jens, Leo (Austria)

Lav, Lavoslav, Leon (Croatia)

Evžen (Czech Republic)

Luther (Denmark)

Mardi, Mardo, Märt, Mart, Märten, Martin (Estonia)

Martti (Finland)

Léon, Noé (France)

Andrea, Andreas, Jens, Leo, Ted (Germany)

Arsenios, Arsinoe, Irodion, Milon, Orestis, Orion, Rodios, Sosipatros (Greece)

Réka (Hungary)

Andrea, Baudolino, Leone, Trifone (Italy)

Erasts, Mārcis, Mārtiņš (Latvia)

Andrius, Galvydė, Leonas, Vaišviltas (Lithuania)

Gudbjørg, Gudveig (Norway)

Andrzej, Lena, Leon, Ludomir, Nelly, Nimfa, Probus, Stefan (Poland)

Cuart, Erast, Olimp, Rodion, Sosipatru (Romania)

Tibor (Slovakia)

Andrés, León, Noé (Spain)

Martin, Martina (Sweden)

Flora, Florence, Florian, Jocelina, Joceline, Jocelyn, Jocelyne, Jocelynn, Joselyn, Joslyn, Justice, Justin, Justina, Justine, Justus (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 315 of 2024; 51 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of Week 45 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Hagal (Hailstone) [Day 15 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Yi-Hai), Day 10 (Wu-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 9 Heshvan 5785

Islamic: 8 Jumada I 1446

J Cal: 15 Wood; Sevenday [15 of 30]

Julian: 28 October 2024

Moon: 67%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 7 Frederic (12th Month) [Louis XI]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 49 of 90)

Week: 2nd Full Week of November

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 18 of 30)

[madmarchhare]

Report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs

October 14th , 05:01:00, 1983

Volkov strode down the main street towards the ministry building, walking with a broad yet humble gait over the freezing pavement completely unbothered by it. It was that time of day when the sickly light of day just began to assail the night, tinging it purple-pink before it would later fall into the chill blue of autumn.

The street was reasonably wide, long rectangular flower plots made of concrete and filled with cold soil, the wildflowers in them having withered from the cold, watched by the young poplars and birch that were planted equally down the lane, leafless and thin glistening with dew and overeager frost. She came to the ministry building itself after a short time, it taking rather little time for her to walk anywhere with her stature. The building was rather typical in construction compared to the uniqueness and speciality of much of the rest of the city. It was a three storey building, the first floor being mostly reserved to an entrance hall and cleaning staff and supplies, the second being where Volkov and others worked, with one half being for the other half of the directorate. She had never been to the top floor, as it was primarily the office of the MVD Minister, and that was as much as she was allowed to know. In appearance it was both grand and unassuming. It was rectangular, lacking any rounded corners or a peaked roof, covered in clean white plaster and a great number of windows, the space around them slightly embossed from the buildings façade with coulombs set on the corners of the building.

She was stopped at the guard point at the front of the property, just in front of the top of a set of stairs, the whole building being on a slight raise in the terrain. It was staffed by militsiya[1] dressed in their grey uniforms, lined with red. They were a new officer, one who Volkov had not encountered before, having greyish skin and a somewhat clammy appearance smelling of salt water. He went over the documents she handed him, his fellow guard standing with his hands in his coat as he watched the street, a great convoy of construction vehicles trundling down the lane, bar tall lorries which had to avoid the tram cables.

“Everything seems to be in order Comrade Volkov,” he asserted reaching up to hand her back the documents as he nodded to her, his peaked hat rocking over his fish-tail like ears, looking up at the woman with monocolour eyes.

“Thank you very much Praporshik[2],” she bade, nodding kindly to the man and his partner in turn before walking to the building entrance. The entrance hall was well lit, a pair of armed militsiya lingering at each corner of the room, stood in black boots gripping AK-74u’s in black, wool line gloves, hugging the carbines to their chests. Volkov saw her friend, Svetlana Yakovlevna[3] sat at the reception desk. Volkov gave her a warm wave, but only received a flippant acknowledgement in return, the woman appearing listening closely to a phone set she pressed against her hear, writing something down. She didn’t let it bother her and instead continued on to the stairs and climbed up to the second floor, making sure to mind her head. The second floor was busy, the sound of hushed conversation coming from the main office hall.

She turned into the room, seeing the other fifty workers stuffed into the room dressed in their best clothes, having taken some extra time to groom themselves. “Lyudmila!” Volkov heard someone call, turning to the sound of her name. A smile crept across her face as she saw her friends gathered in a corner of the room, striding over to them. She towered over the three of them, not that any of the three minded.

One, Rin Shigemitsu[4], was a bakeneko[5], having emigrated from the NJK[6]. He stood at about 5’6” though slouching from a wounded leg to 5’5”. He had calico coloured hair which he let grow rather long, each eyebrow a different colour, along with electric yellow eyes. He wore a tired, pale coffee coloured suit with padded shoulders, specially ironed for today, along with a pair of polished boots.

Next to him was a creature that was about 5’11”, made of a twisting, undulating mass of coiling white nerves vaguely resembling a human shape stuffed into a grey suit. They hovered rather than stood, regarding the other three silently watching with a pair of suspended unblinking eyes that ever only seemed to exist from the front. They tended, when a voice was unnecessary, to sign using their hands which were always covered in white gloves. Generally everyone called him Molcha.   

Finally was Aleksandra Constantinova Slava[7], she was a tall, box-shouldered woman, about 6’ wearing a green suit jacket over a long cream dress. She had a harsh, cocky face set in a shot-fox grin, fitting as she was part fox herself, colouring her chin length hair. She had been the one to call Lyudmilla’s name looking her over with an appraising expression. “Good morning Alek,” she greeted her friend with a warm smile, bending over slightly to get closer to eye level.

“Morning,” she answered simply, not turning her eyes away from the door.

“I saw the Supervisor at the metro last night,” Lyudmilla remarked, receiving a curious look from Alek and Rin.

“Really? Did you ask him who the new hire was like?” Alek asked interestedly, turning to her friend as her attention shifted from the door. At this Volkov took on a slightly sheepish expression.

“Ah, no. I forgot to ask,” she admitted regretfully, receiving an exasperated look from Alek.

“Ah come on, that’s what everybody’s curious about!” she grumbled crossing her arms over her chest in agitation.

“It’s not like she’d have got an answer. The man isn’t the type for a chat,” Shigemitsu commented, limping forward.

“He seems quite nice,” Volkov chipped in, defending her supervisor in his absence. Shigemitsu clicked his tongue in polite disagreement.

“He makes me uneasy. I can’t read the man, he’s never said a single word to be that wasn’t related to work, and I’ve never seen him once outside this building. If it weren’t for other’s hearsay I’d think he was a house spirit for this place, more likely than him being the only human in the department as standing,” Shigemitsu continued in a hushed tone, careful to not let himself be heard.

Almost at the mention of his word Iveshnya walked through the entrance of the office, accompanied by a pair of stern faced men who appeared to be Soviet officials and a KGB[8] officer looming behind them. Iveshnya wore a similar suit as the day before, this time with a plain white shirt with French cuffs, worn with cufflinks bearing the Naval ensign of the Soviet Military Maritime Fleet[9]. In addition to that he wore a few medals on the left breast of his jacket. The first was a set of three medals, gold silver and bronze respectively, each a circle with a raised rim, a red five pointed star in the middle with a hammer and sickle with rays coming from the star surrounded by a laurel wreath. The ribbon was an irregular pentagon, made of red and edged in green with either one, two or three yellow stripes down the centres’[10], the only other one was a medal of a similar size with a much simpler design, simply a raised rim on a silver medal covered with Cyrillic that could not be read hung from a red and blue striped ribbon[11].  

He regarded the room with a severe look, instantly quelling the clamour to silence, as if he had just snuffed out the wick of a candle. “Good morning comrades,” he droned in a flat tone, standing to attention in a bored sort of way, yet still perfectly stood as he was watched by the other three men. “Today, in addition to a tour of this directorate for members from the Supreme Soviet and from the central party, we will be receiving a new member for this department from Moscow,” Iveshnya spoke clearly and precisely, watching the room with his dead fish eyes. He let his words sit for a moment before beginning again, “Mr. Deriabin,” he called, not turning his head as he did. The Muscovite came forward, nervously side stepping the officials by the door.

The most distinct feature of the man as he walked in was the tick white fur that crowed his neck, almost shaped like a diamond as it blended into where one would expect a man’s ears to be. Instead of course a pair of rabbit ears stood to attention on the top of his head. His face was mostly human in structure, though covered with white fur and with rabbit-like eyes that glanced curiously but warily across the room. He was dressed in a black suit that harshly clashed with his own fur, pressed out in the front by the thick fur on his chest, a slit in his trousers for a triangular shaped tail. It made the man cut a somewhat effeminate figure as he stood before the hall on digitigrade feet.

“It is a pleasure to meet you all,” he greeted in a firm voice, but one you could tell was not his normal tone. Iveshnya glanced at the lagomorph to his right before continuing.

“I shall leave you to get acquainted with your new Comrade as the Ministers and I continue on. Miss. Slava, I trust you will help Mr. Deriabin with any troubles he encounters?” Iveshnya ordered, catching Alek off guard.

“Yes, Comrade Supervisor!” she asserted, rapidly summoning her confidence. The man gave an unemotive nod in acknowledgement then turned to leave, the other ministers doing the same. As he came astride of Deriabin he softly gave him an order.

“You will report to my office at the end of the day,” walking on before the man had a chance to respond. The ministers left and continued down the hall, leaving the room in silence until they could no longer hear their footfalls. As soon as they were out of earshot the room descended on the fresh blood like sharks. Alek was quick to weave her way through the crowd to get an introduction in.

“Hello Mr. Deriabin, it is nice to meet you,” she greeted, grabbing his hand and shaking it firmly.

“Ah, you too, Miss…?”

“Aleksandra Constantinova, as you likely heard I am here to help you if you have any problems,” she asserted confidently, not at all presenting the air that she’d suddenly had the role dropped onto her at just that moment. Not that she was upset at Iveshnya for the role, particularly as Deriabin was as easy on the eyes as she had hoped the new hire would be. “Now what should we call you?” she asked kindly, smiling up at him with distinctly sharp yellowish teeth.

“Oh, call me Zablud, but Za or Sha is fine,” he answered, a nervous smile coming across his face. He was paraded through the room like a new Tsar being bombarded by greetings and questions in equal measure, only just managing to issue a few of the former himself before he was dragged elsewhere. Eventually, as the others were beginning to retreat back to their work, Alek brought her Duraibin back to her friends.

“Last but not least,” Alek smiled as she showed the man off to the three like some prized game she had just hunted. Za looked nervously up at the towering creature that was Volkov, feeling quite suddenly like prey as she looked kindly down at him, trying her best to not inspire the feeling in the man.

“Lyudmila Yurievna[12], it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Volkov greeted warmly, offering a clawed hand. He shook her hand with a smile, trying to smother his internal screams of terror as he did so. Volkov noticed, unlike her friends, but didn’t press him on it, simply letting go of his hand and standing slightly further back for his sake, but not far enough to be commented on.

“Likewise,” Za agreed with a glancing at her a second longer before looking at the other two strangers he was to be introduced to. Molcha nodded to him and stepped forward, shaking his hand.

“They call me Molcha, it is a great pleasure to meet you Mr. Zablud,” he said, speaking with a distant, harsh voice, as if it was coming from a badly tuned radio, and spoken in a refined diction, as if one was speaking to an old Tsarist or a language teacher. Za exchanged his greeting then turned to Rin, the bakeneko watching the man suspiciously.

“Shigemitsu,” he said simply, watching the man coldly to the slight irritation of Alek but not necessarily surprise. He was known to be rather prickly to new people… not that that pervaded him from acting that way to people he had know a long time either. If Deiabin was affected by the coldness he didn’t show it, simply offering a slight smile to the man. Alek glared at Shigemitsu but the man simply turned away with a sour expression, moving over to his desk.

“Sorry about him… he is a nice guy when you get to know him. Anyway, I think it would be a good idea to show you some of your duties here, so if you’ll follow me,” Alek apologized to Za before gesturing for him to follow her. Volkov and Molcha waved them off before turning to get to their own work.

As Volkov walked back to her desk she came up to Shigemitsu, “Are you alright? Why were you so cold to him?” she asked earnestly, a mildly concerned look on her black face.

He glanced up to her, a sour expression on his face as he limped forward, “I’m worried why he’s here… Its not exactly normal to get someone sent over from Moscow to out here in the middle of nowhere now is it?” he answered bluntly not explaining any further. Volkov looked at him with a pensive look seeing his point.

When the day was over, Deriabin made his way to Iveshnya’s office. It was dark outside, the hall lit solely by the dead lights overhead. He stopped outside the door, shuffling on his feet slightly before rapping his knuckles on the door. “Come in,” Iveshnya droned, his voice cutting, though muffled, through the thin plywood door. Deriabin opened the door, stepping into the small room. The first thing he saw was Iveshnya, wearing a dry expression on his face as he went through a stack of documents in front of him, sat in front of his desk. The walls were covered with maps, from topographical, military installations and more, with photographs of party leaders and leaders of the MVD and KGB placed between them. Along with that, there was a small chair in front of the desk close to Deriabin, which Iveshnya idly gestured for him to sit in. As soon as he sat in the chair Iveshnya piped up, “would you care for a cigarette?” not looking up from his documents as he asked him.

“Oh, uh, yes,” Deriabin replied, Iveshnya reaching into a drawer and pulling out a pack of Soyuz-Apollo[13] cigarettes, which just so happened to be Deriabin’s favourite brand, but one he could not get often. Iveshnya opened the pack and tapped a cigarette out, holding out his arm for Deriabin to take it from the pack. “Thank you,” Deriabin said, slightly more at ease, “… are you not having one?”

“No, I don’t smoke,” he replied flatly, confusing Deriabin slightly. “Now, Zablud Oleninivich Deriabin[14],” Iveshnya resumed, not allowing the man time for his confusion, “as you were no doubt informed, this is a unique posting. The directorate for information was established by the MVD in conjunction with both the KGB and the GRU[15] as a way to keep watch of anything and everything they don’t want to be seen by any… foreign or possibly harmful elements that may enter the Soviet Union,” he continued, lifting his eyes from his document that he allowed to rest on the desk as he stiffly inspected the white rabbit in front of him.

“Yes, of course,” Deriabin replied, holding his unlit cigarette between his fingers as he rested his hands on his legs, sitting up straight as he looked tensely at his supervisor. Iveshnya met his gaze with a dismissive look through half lidded eyes. He shoved a nickelled lighter over the desk to Deriabin who picked it up from the table with a wary look before lighting his cigarette, puffing on it nervously.

“So then of course there comes the question of why they sent you,” Iveshnya blurted out just as Deriabin took a long drag, sending him into a coughing fit as silver smoke spewed from him like a broken log burner.

“P-pardon?” he wheezed out, but his superior ignored him and continued.

“You, as far as the report I have received tell me, are nothing but an amateur, having worked only briefly within the MVD office in Moscow following a fleeting failure within the militsiya. You have never once ventured outside Moscow, bar from a single visit to Leningrad where you slept with over a quarter of the city, regardless of sex, while in a drunken stupor,” Iveshnya continued, humiliation and fear twisting Deariabin’s expression, only his thick fur preventing his face turning blood red from blushing.

“… And yet,” Iveshnya continued, “my superiors both here and in Moscow insisted upon you, singing your praises. So you will remain as long as you can fulfil your duties well, which, I am sure you will,” he finished, whatever scepticism that was in his voice being overshadowed by the silent threat that pressed itself at the rabbit’s throat.

“Of course, comrade supervisor,” Deriabin replied, almost quailing as he spoke, stock still in his chair. He watched him with a flat expression on his face for a moment or so before glancing away.

“Well then lets leave that for now. On a separate matter, have your sorted out your commute as yet?” Iveshnay asked simply.

“Ah, not as yet,” he answered somewhat sheepishly.

“Hm, you’ve met Mr. Shigemitsu I assume?” Deriabin nodded, “I believe both he and you live in the same building so I recommend that you go back with him. He has a car, a SMZ S-3D[16] he received due to his leg. You should be able to catch up with him today if you go now, it takes him quite a while to get to the carpark with his leg how it is, and he refuses to have a cane,” he explained calmly, as if the whole thing was common knowledge.

Deriabin looked at his superior with a bewildered look, unable to stop himself before he asked, “How do you know all of this?” Iveshnya regarded him at the edge of his sight.

“I don’t think that is your business, Mr. Deriabin,” Deriabin’s thoughts could not help but think ‘but it’s somehow yours?’ but his common sense stopped him from saying it aloud. “You are dismissed, I hope to see you tomorrow Mr. Deriabin,” Iveshnya said in a flat tone, signalling that Deriabin was no longer welcome in the office. The man clearly wanted to say something more, not least ask how to get to the carpark, but Iveshnya, without even moving, was making it quite clear that he would not be asked any questions.

“Of course, Comrade Supervisor,” he eventually muttered back, bowing out of his chair before leaving through the door, not turning his back to his superior, as if he was a wild animal. As soon as he stepped out of the office, he felt the tension he had ignored buckle his legs, struggling to stand up. He was a far more intimidating man than Volkov.

He pulled himself back together after a moment and began to make his way out of the building, stopping at the front desk to ask where the carpark was located. The woman at the front desk told him that it was a complex further into the city. When he eventually got there, after going through the checkpoint and walking through the dimming streets, hearing the long echoes of constructions as the sites wound down for the evening, he saw the entrance. It was a reasonably large, and ultimately like the city it was built in, uninhabited complex. It was generally intended as a cooperative garage[17] when the city was completed, though far better built than its contemporaries, swapping the kit made metal barns for solid concrete garages that were slightly larger than normal, though only slightly, and covered in pleasant pastel colours that looked drained in the autumn evening, grey-black overhead.

He saw Shigemitsu ahead, opening the door to a garage close to the entrance for the cooperative. Deriabin sped up slightly to reach him, stopping just near the entrance. “Ah, Mr. Shigemitsu,” he called out, causing the bakeneko to stop still as he went to open the door to his car.

He glanced up at Zablud, a tired expression on his face, “What are you doing here?” he questioned somewhat irately.

“Ah, Mr. Iveshnya told me that we are both live in the same building, and that I should go back with you, as you have a car,” Zablud replied somewhat sheepishly, unsure weather or not to be apologetic.

Sigemitsu’s expression broke into an infuriated mess within a moment, gritting his sharp teeth, “Iveshnya you…!” he began to curse under his breath but stopped, partially because he knew it wouldn’t help much, but also out of a wariness for the new recruit, and why he had been sent. Ironically, in much the way Iveshnya was.

“… Fine, get in. Not like I have much of a choice anyway,” he grumbled, opening his own door and getting in, taking a moment with his wounded leg. Zablud grinned nervously and bent down to open the door of the car before stepping down into the low vehicle. It was painted shock green, a colour repeated on the metal dash, contrasted slightly with the grey carpet and seats. He glanced over to Shigemitsu as he got himself seated, seeing him move to start the vehicle, all the controls being placed on the steering wheel and dashboard. After a moment the engine sputtered into life, the two-stroke creature roaring its two-voice call into the night as Shigemitsu pulled the car forward out of the garage, an uninterested look on his face. When he got out of the building into the paved row it sat on he got out after a moments struggle, to Zablud’s confusion until he pulled close his garage door and locked it.

He turned back and got back into the driver’s seat with a blank look, “I could have done that for you,” Zablud commented, attempting to be kind to his impromptu chauffeur, but instead got an incensed look from the man.

“I don’t need your help,” he bit as he set the car into drive and sped it forward… Well, as fast as it would go. It was a rather slow car, having a max speed of about 55 Km/h or 34 Mph. But, more than that, it was loud, its engine echoing through the cities streets as it went. Shigemitsu attempted to muffle it by blaring a radio through the car, though not that the car came with one as standard, so he simply used a portable model that sang out opera over the engine noise. Zablud stared out of the window as they drove, trying to avoid his superior in the small car, watching the increasingly empty scenery as they left the city limits, black plains of tall grass swaying in the heavy winds. The taste of good tobacco still lingered on his teeth, unfortunately made him remember his meeting with Iveshnya, the severe unemotive expression on the man looming large over his thoughts.

He reached into his jacket, fishing around for a moment until he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, hoping to smoke out the taste. They were a Bulgarian brand, Tu-134 after the airliner, and what he usually bought as they were cheap. Before he pulled one out he turned to Shigemitsu and asked, “do you mind if I smoke?” Shigemitsu glanced at him, still keeping one eye on the empty road.

“Lean out the window, I don’t want any smoke in my face,” he answered. Zablud nodded and turned to the window as he pulled out a cigarette from the sky-blue coloured pack, placing it between his lips as he undid the screw that held the windows still before pulling back, wind diving through the opening as soon as the opportunity availed it. He covered the cigarette with his hand and felt for the lighter Iveshnya had given him, trying to push him out of his mind as he lit the cigarette and puffed on it, leaning his head near the window so that the dancing wind could drag the smoke up and out of the car.

After about three hours or so of driving they came to the outskirts of a city. It was where both Shigemitsu and Zablud lived, along with a few other members of the directorate. They were spread out in various cities and villages around Nizki-Gorod until housing in the city was complete, though, it was not guaranteed. The building where the pair lived was close to the city centre, set around a large lush courtyard. What Zablud now paid more notice too was the small steel garage set near the building, as he now guessed that it belonged to Shigemitsu. He was correct.

Shigemitsu stopped the car just ahead of the garage and opened his door, “get out, you can get to your apartment while I put my car away,” he snapped, dragging himself out of his car before limping over to the garage door.

“Thank you… I appreciate it,” Zablud thanked smiling nervously at the man, but got no reply in return as he put his car away. He let his smile fall from his face as he grabbed another cigarette from the pack in his coat and lit it, taking quick, nervous drags from it, smoke puffing from his rabbit like cheeks and twisting around his ears before being dragged away by the wind. He ascended the steps to his floor with his hands in his pockets, the narrow stair cold with the late night air. His room was one the second floor, a single bedroom, but largely similar to Iveshnya’s as both were Kurshchevka’s. He lingered outside his door, smoking, now slower as he thumbed-over his keys in his pocket. As he glared down at the bottom of his door, fretting over his meeting, he glanced at the door of his neighbour.

He had not greeted him yet, as he had been out when Zablud had arrived, but he hoped to make a good impression. He glanced at his neighbours door for a second longer then plucked his keys from his pocket, just as Shigemitsu began to walk down the hall towards him. He wondered what it was for until he stopped outside the door of his neighbours, both men wearing questioning looks until it dawned on them, surprise clear on their faces as they each stood outside their apartments.

[1] Милиция. The name for the police forces of the Soviet Union, a force that worked under the authority of the MVD. Their ranks were generally parallel to the structure of the Red Army.

[2] A rank in both the Soviet army and the militsiya. It is roughly equivalent to a Warrant Officer Class 1 or OR-7/OR-8 for NATO Armies.

[3] Светлана Яковлевна.

[4] 凜 重光, when read the Russian way, first name then surname.

[5] 化け猫 Lit. ‘Changed Cat’. A type of Japanese yōkai(Supernatural entity or spirit) more specifically a kaibyō, or supernatural cat. They possess among other abilities, the ability to transform into human form. They are often confused with Nekomata, another cat spirit.

[6] The Peoples Republic of Japan (日本人民共和国), Nihon Jinmin Kyoukakoku. A fictious Soviet satellite state that incorporates Hokkaidō, Tōhoku and Kantō regions in addition to Niigata prefecture, but excluding Tokyo, its surrounding area and a large area to the south of it. To its south is a western aligned Japan, retaining a constitutional monarchy akin to current Japan, and control of Tokyo.    

[7] Александра Константинова Слава

[8] Комитет государственной безопасности. The ‘Committee of State Security’ responsible for carrying out internal security, along with the MVD, foreign intelligence, counter-intelligence and secret police functions.

[9] Советский Военно-Морской Флот. The official name for the Soviet navy, commonly nicknamed the ‘Red Fleet’ in the West.  

[10] The ‘Medal “For Impeccable Service”’(Медаль “За безупречную службу”) was a decoration in the Soviet Union given for long service to those deserving in the armed forces, MVD or KGB. It was composed for three classes, First, Second and Third for twenty, fifteen and ten years service respectively, with Third class being first given, then following on sequentially.

[11] The ‘Medal “For Distinction in the Protection of Public Order”’ (Медаль “За отличие в охране общественного порядка”) was a decoration in the Soviet Union given to officials and civilians in recognition for distinction in defending public order or preventing crime.

[12] Людмила Юрьевна Волкова

[13] Союз-Apollo, a state-brand cigarette in the Soviet Union created in commemoration of the successful Soyuz(Союз) Apollo mission in the 1970’s.

[14] Заблуд Олениневич Дерябин

[15] Главное разведывательное управление. Main Intelligence Directorate, was the foreign military intelligence arm of the Soviet army.

[16] A Soviet car manufactured by Surpukhov Motor Works (Серпуховский Мотозавод), informally known as “motor-wheelchair” or “Invalidka” (инвалидка). They were known as such as they were given, either for free or sold at a heavy discount, to the disabled in the USSR through their welfare system and could not officially be bought by the non-disabled. It was given on a five year lease then had to be returned and later replaced by a new one. The S-3D model here was manufactured from the 1970’s, featuring a body 2.6 meters long, weighing 500kg due to its all-steel construction and powered by a two-stroke IZH-P3 air-cooled engine that had 18 hp.   

[17] Кооперативные гаражи. An organization established to allow Soviet Car owners to store their vehicles. It required residents to apply to become a member of the cooperative and pay a fee to store their care on a plot. Garages were not normally built, and a separate kit to build a steel shack-garage had to bought as well. It was the only truly safe option in Soviet cities, however, as auto-theft or parts theft was common.

@thewormsheep @muaviinu @guesst @ghosticosmic @simplelobster @adanaac @truegoist @xatsperesso @toomuchhobbies-toolittletime @sleepy-gry

Part I |

[spookcataloger]

Translated Russian tales pt.2 (2017)

Militsiya Cases 3, 4 & 5

[official-moomin]

Explain entire plot of movie Асса.

The film has several plot lines. The main plot takes place in the winter of 1980 and tells the story of Alika (Tatyana Drubich), a young nurse who stays in Yalta with her patient and lover Krymov (Stanislav Govorukhin), who is considerably older than she is. Krymov is the head of a criminal group and is being watched by KGB agents, but Alika is not completely aware of it. In Yalta Alika meets Bananan (Sergei "Afrika" Bugaev), a young and eccentric underground rock musician, who introduces her to the Soviet counterculture. When Krymov discovers that Alika is developing a relationship with Bananan, he becomes jealous and tries to convince Bananan to leave Alika and Yalta altogether; after Bananan refuses, Krymov's minions murder him. When he tells Alika about this, she murders him and is arrested by the Militsiya, although they treat her gently.

Another minor plot line shows the history of the murder of tsar Paul I of Russia. It is based on a book by Natan Eidelman, which Krymov is shown reading throughout the movie.

[caffeinesam]

The fact that with Goncharov, and especially the initial stolen reels* that were shown all over then Soviet-dominated Ukraine before the premiere, predates the first public mentions of the Chechen Mafia suggests that Scorcese might actually have willed this incarnation of the Russian criminal underworld into existence. This was in 1972 and the first murder officially attributed to the Chechen mob was from 1974. This cannot be a coincidence.

* Some raw pre-production copies were smuggled into Soviet Union by a cameraworks engineer who was hired for maintenance of the Jupiter-manufactured optics used on the Naples sets. In a 1997 interview, the man said he manage to produce five differently ordered films, yielding entirely different narratives, and sold them to various bootleg theaters. The goal was to make the descriptions of the movie be so wildly inconsistent that no one in authority would believe a Western movie was smuggled in.

"It was big deal in 1972" the man said "I was on militsiya's radar for some months, but [they] left me alone. I say to them yes we are hired to work uh the cameras on the movie, I talked of movie with friends and they say what they say! Not remember [story] only title and [stupid clocks]! So until Union falls, I was good! Never interogated!"

[brookston]

Holidays 11.10

Holidays

Area Code Day

Day of Remembrance of Ataturk (Turkey)

Day of Russian Militsiya (Russia)

Día de la Tradición (Day of Tradition; Argentina)

Dr. Livingstone, I Presume Day

Father’s Day (Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden)

Forget-Me-Not Day

The Goddess of Reason, Liberty & Philosophy Feast Day (a.k.a. Goddess of Reason’s Day; France)

Guinness World Records’ Day

Hari Pahlawan (Heroes' Day; Indonesia)

Harrow Day (French Republic)

International Accounting Day

International Giantess Day

International Interns Day

International Science Center and Science Museum Day

Los Santos Uprising Day (Panama)

Maputo Day (Mozambique)

McHappy Day

Microsoft Windows Day

Militia Day (Tajikistan)

National Bong Day

National Civic Pride Day

National Science Center & Science Museum Day

National Toothpaste Appreciation Day

National Wheat Day (Brazil)

National Yawning Day

National Young Reader’s Day

NET Cancer Day

Not A Father's Day

Police Day (Russia)

Quark Day

School Counselor & School Psychologist Recognition Day (Australia)

Scots Fir Day

Sesame Street Day

Sleep Dangerously Night

Toilet Day (Japan)

Toothpaste Appreciation Day

U.S. Marine Corps Day (a.k.a. USMC Day)

Wear Green Day

Winegrower and Winemaker’s Day (Ukraine)

Wizard Day

World HTLV Day

World Immunization Day

World Keratoconus Day

World Public Transport Day

World Run Day

World Science Day for Peace and Development (UN)

World Top Up Day

World Youth Day (WFDY)

Youth Day (Kyrgyzstan)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Gooseberry Day (India)

National Boilermaker Day

National Mussels Day

National Pork Belly Day

National Vanilla Cupcake Day

Independence & Related Days

First Cry of Independence Day (a.k.a. Los Santos Uprising Day; Panama)

2nd Sunday in November

Day of Prayer for the Promotion of the Redemptorist Missionary Vocation [2nd Sunday]

European Day of Wine Tourism (EU) [2nd Sunday]

Father’s Day (Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden) [2nd Sunday]

Grandparents’ Day (South Sudan) [2nd Sunday]

Hasla Bayramy (Harvest Festival; Turkmenistan) [2nd Sunday]

International Tongue Twister Day [2nd Sunday] (also 3.2]

National Day of Mourning (Germany) [2nd Sunday]

National Donor Sabbath [2 Sundays before Thanksgiving]

National Pupusa Day (El Salvador) [2nd Sunday]

National Tree Festival (Tunisia) [2nd Sunday]

Orphan Sunday [2nd Sunday]

Remembrance Sunday (Australia, Canada, UK) [2nd Sunday]

Sandwich Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Seven For Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sleepy Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Sundae Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sunday Funday [Every Sunday]

Survey Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Swans and Ladders Tournament (Mirano, Italy) [2nd Sunday]

Volkstrauertag (Memorial Day; Germany) [Sunday before Totensonntag]

Weekly Holidays beginning November 10 (2nd Full Week of November)

Geography Awareness Week [2nd Week]

Global Antibiotic Awareness Week [2nd Week]

International Fraud Awareness Week [2nd Week]

International Week of Science and Peace (thru 11.16] [Week Including 11.11]

National Nurse Practioner’s Week (thru 11.16]

National Split Pea Soup Week [2nd Week]

National Young Reader’s Week [2nd Week]

Operating Room Nurse Awareness Week (thru 11.16) [2nd Full Week]

Orangutan Caring Week (thru 11.16) [2nd Full Week]

Perioperative Nurse Week (thru 11.16)

Transgender Awareness Week [2nd Week]

World Kindness Week (thru 11.16) [Week Including 11.13]

Festivals Beginning November 10, 2024

Jamaican Jerk Festival (Miramar, Florida)

Mayday (Katowice, Poland)

South Florida Seafood Festival (Coconut Grove, Florida)

Feast Days

Adelin of Séez (Christian; Saint)

Áed mac Bricc (a.k.a. Aed MacBrice; Christian; Saint)

Ancestor Day IV (Pagan)

Andrew Avellino (Christian; Saint)

Arbrosimus (Christian; Saint)

Baudolino (Christian; Saint)

Chhath Parwa begins (4-Day Hindu/Vedic Festival of the Sun God Surya; Nepal)

Chhat Puja Parva begins (a.k.a. Surya Sasthi; 4-Day Hindu/Vedic Festival of the Sun God Surya; Parts of India)

Cthulu Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Elaeth (Christian; Saint)

El Lissitzky (Artology)

Festival of Cybergnosticism

Festival of Spiritual Indulgence

Festival of St. Bebiana (from beer, "to drink")

Friedrich von Schiller (Writerism)

Galungan (Celebrating Victory of Dharma over Adharma; Bali)

Grellan (Christian; Saint)

Gus the Mailman (Muppetism)

Henry IV (Positivist; Saint)

Holly Black (Writerism)

Jacob Epstein (Artology)

James Broughton (Writerism)

Justus, Archbishop of Canterbury (Christian; Saint)

Kate Seredy (Artology)

Leo I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Look Inside Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Look on the Bright Side of Life Day (Pastafarian)

Louis le Brocquy (Artology)

Lübeck martyrs (Christian; Martyrs)

St. Martin's Eve [patron saint of tavern-keepers] (a.k.a. ... 

Mārtiņi (Ancient Latvia)

Martinisingen (Germany)

Martinmas Eve

Milles, Bishop of Susa (Christian; Saint)

Neil Gaiman (Writerism)

Nincnevin (Old Scots festival celebrating Diana)

Noemí Gerstein (Artology)

Nymphia (Christian; Saint)

Old November Eve (Honoring the Goddess Nicnevin; Ancient Scotland)

Sina (Christian; Saint)

Theoctiste (Christian; Saint)

Tryphena of Rome (Christian; Saint)

Trypho, Respicius and Nympha (Christian; Martyrs)

Wangala Festival (Meghalaya, India)

Wild Hunt Day (Celtic Book of Days)

William Hogarth (Artology)

Wish-Spoiling Sports Day (Imps, Gremlins, and Grumpy Goblins; Shamanism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Binary Day [1011] (8 of 9)

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [54 of 57]

Unglückstage (Unlucky Day; Pennsylvania Dutch) [27 of 30]

Premieres

Ben and Me (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

Blank Space, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2014)

Blueing the Blues, recorded by Muggsy Spanier (Song; 1939)

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Live: 1975-85 (Live Album; 19986)

Butterflies (UK TV Series; 1978)

Catch-22, by Joseph Heller (Novel; 1960)

Change of Habit (Film; 1969)

Dash & Lily (TV Mini-Series; 2020)

Days of Future Passed, by The Moody Blues (Album; 1967)

Don’t Blame Me, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2017)

Dug’s Special Mission (Pixar Cartoon; 2009)

The French Lieutenant's Woman, by John Fowles (Novel; 1969)

Fuck (Documentary Film; 2006)

Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (Animated Film; 2015)

God Bless America, by Irving Berlin, sung by Kate Smith (Song; 1938)

The Golden Bowl, by Henry James (Novel; 1904)

Good Noose (WB LT Cartoon; 1962)

Happy Land (Film; 1943)

Horses, by Patti Smith (Album; 1975)

The Iceman Cometh (Film; 1973)

I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night, by The Electric Prunes (Song; 1966)

The Living Desert (Documentary Film; 1953)

The Marvels (Film; 2023)

Murder on the Orient Express (Film; 2017)

My Left Foot (Film; 1989)

Nights in White Satin, by The Moody Blues (Song; 1967)

Paddington 2 (Film; 2017)

Piano Concerto in C Major, by Ferruccio Busoni (Piano Concerto; 1904)

The Polar Express (Animated Film; 2004)

Rebel Yell, by Billy Idol (Album; 1983)

Reputation, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2017)

Riot in Rhythm (Flesicher/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1950)

Sesame Street (Children’s TV Series; 1969)

The Song of Hiawatha, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Poem; 1855)

Stranger Than Fiction (Film; 2006)

There They Go-Go-Go! (WB LT Cartoon; 1956)

Those Beautiful Dames (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Film; 2017)

Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

The Vicar of Dibley (UK TV Series; 1994)

Violin Concerto in B Minor, by Edward Elgar (Violin Concerto; 1910)

Welcome to the Pleasuredome, by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (Album; 1984)

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula Le Guin (Novel; 1968) [Earthsea #1]

The Wreckers, by Ethel Smyth (Opera; 1906)

Wyrd Sisters, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1988) [Discworld #6]

Zuma, by Neil Young (Album; 1975)

Today’s Name Days

Andrea, Andreas, Jens, Leo (Austria)

Lav, Lavoslav, Leon (Croatia)

Evžen (Czech Republic)

Luther (Denmark)

Mardi, Mardo, Märt, Mart, Märten, Martin (Estonia)

Martti (Finland)

Léon, Noé (France)

Andrea, Andreas, Jens, Leo, Ted (Germany)

Arsenios, Arsinoe, Irodion, Milon, Orestis, Orion, Rodios, Sosipatros (Greece)

Réka (Hungary)

Andrea, Baudolino, Leone, Trifone (Italy)

Erasts, Mārcis, Mārtiņš (Latvia)

Andrius, Galvydė, Leonas, Vaišviltas (Lithuania)

Gudbjørg, Gudveig (Norway)

Andrzej, Lena, Leon, Ludomir, Nelly, Nimfa, Probus, Stefan (Poland)

Cuart, Erast, Olimp, Rodion, Sosipatru (Romania)

Tibor (Slovakia)

Andrés, León, Noé (Spain)

Martin, Martina (Sweden)

Flora, Florence, Florian, Jocelina, Joceline, Jocelyn, Jocelyne, Jocelynn, Joselyn, Joslyn, Justice, Justin, Justina, Justine, Justus (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 315 of 2024; 51 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of Week 45 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Hagal (Hailstone) [Day 15 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Yi-Hai), Day 10 (Wu-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 9 Heshvan 5785

Islamic: 8 Jumada I 1446

J Cal: 15 Wood; Sevenday [15 of 30]

Julian: 28 October 2024

Moon: 67%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 7 Frederic (12th Month) [Louis XI]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 49 of 90)

Week: 2nd Full Week of November

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 18 of 30)

[punalippulaiva]

It's probably a reference to the famous "there is no sex in the USSR" line.

Also, technically the USSR didn't have the police, they had a workers' and peasants' militsiya which replaced the police after the revolution.

Has this been done before?

[razistoricharka]

Deply unserious baizuo: "ACAB"

Militsiya: Even me?

Stasi: Did I do something queen

Santebal: Guess I'll kill myself

[ambasingresident]

Bio and Reference for Vasily "Shashka", my Anarchist OC from the TNO-verse

(Did the drawing based on @yunaisky's artstyle cause of the oc's relation with one of her oc, Ellio Ovelot)

Name: Vasily Shashka (Real Name: Vasily Vasilovich Akan)

Age: 23 yrs/o

Place of Orgin: Kansk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Former territory of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (now controlled by the Siberian Black Army)

Likes: Anarchism, the people, vodka, dancing, drawing, singing, playing the accordion, horse riding, close friends

Dislikes: Tyranny, oppression, fascism, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, Genrikh Yagoda (rasin looking tyrant), enemies and threats to the people and his close friends, sand

Info: Vasily is a soldier and member of the Siberian Black Army (a warlord state located in Western Russia that are made up of anarchist who sought to free the people from tyranny and oppression) along with also being a member of the Siberian Anarchist Council (which he helps in making decisions for the state). He also leads a group of soldiers called the "Kansk Militsiya" (apart of Army 1) which makes him responsible for the security of the commune.

Past: Vasily was born to a family who holds military and cultural traditions in Kansk, his paternal side were cavalry and navy men back from the reign of Tsar Alexander all the way to the time of Bukharin while his maternal side were skilled and professional artists, compossers, and dancers. After the Fall of the Soviet Union and the estabishment of Yagoda's remant state, Vasily joined up the military at the young age of 18 (due to family connections) in hopes of pursuing a military career. During the Siberian War, Vasily would begin to hate Yagoda's government due to not only to the tyranny they imposed, but also the execution of most of his family members (especially his beloved mother) by the NKVD. When the locals and military personnel from Tomsk revolted in Bratsk, him and several of his friends would defect to the newly established Siberian Black Army and would swear to fight for the freedom of the people.

Favorite Food: Russian and homemade food

Friends:

Ellio Ovelot - For some reason, he became friends with a vodoo guy who has abilities using only a paper and a scissor. Despite that and the deteriorating state of Ellio, Vasily would still become good friends with him and would even have fun together to a point that some of the troops refer to him as "Vasiliy's Yablochko". He would also comfort Ellio to the best of his ability.

Boris Baladin - Soldier of Kansk Militsiya, childhood and family friend of Vasily

Artyom Chekov - Soldier of Kansk Militsiya, second in command of Vasily

Ivan Devin - Soldier of Kansk Militsiya, the group cook and medic

Dmitry Dmitriev - Soldier of Kansk Militsiya, machine gun operator