Sawt Falasteen - Russia's exiled opposition hopes for rebirth with Berlin rally

Unable to take to the streets at home, top opposition figures hope the rally in the German capital will refresh and inspire the scattered forces that oppose President Vladimir Putin, almost three years after he invaded Ukraine and escalated a massive crackdown on dissent inside Russia.

The rally is the first organised by three of the most high-profile opposition figures -- Yulia Navalnaya, Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza -- and comes at a critical time for the movement.

The death of Alexei Navalny in unclear circumstances in an Arctic prison in February deprived the anti-Putin campaigners of their obvious figurehead.

The release of Yashin and Kara-Murza -- who were serving years-long prison sentences for criticising the Ukraine offensive -- in a prisoner swap deal six months latter offered hope of reinvigoration.

But many supporters are frustrated at how entrenched Putin appears in power, as he ramps up repression and intensifies the invasion.

There is also criticism from Ukrainians who feel the Russian opposition has shown ambiguity over the invasion and could do more to put pressure on Putin.

The opposition has even been struck by accusations of violent infighting between rival factions.

- 'No plan' -

Navalnaya -- Navalny's widow -- said the rally aims to "show that a lot of Russians are against Putin and against the war".

A big turnout would show that there is "another Russia, that is not militaristic and is free".

But in an interview with the exiled Russian TV station Dozhd, she also admitted there was "no plan" among the opposition on how to end Putin's 24-year rule.

Yashin, a former Moscow city councillor, said the opposition had three main demands.

"The retreat of Russian troops from Ukraine, the trial of Vladimir Putin as a war criminal and the liberation of all political prisoners."

The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed the group as "monstrously detached from their country".

Russia has branded those who oppose what it calls the "special military operation" in Ukraine as traitors.

Since invading, it has ushered in a climate of fear that critics say scares Russians into silence.

Harsh censorship laws threaten decade-long prison sentences for criticising the campaign, while major independent news outlets have been outlawed and had their websites blocked.

Forced to operate from abroad in such circumstances, the opposition hopes some of the tens of thousands of Russians who have also gone into exile since 2022 will hit the streets of Berlin on Sunday.

The German capital has become a hub for Russians fleeing persecution.

Yashin said he wants to mobilise them around an "anti-war and anti-Putin" message -- to inspire compatriots back home.

Many see that as optimistic.

"All that the Russian opposition can do right now is to demonstrate that Russians are against the war and against Putin," said political scientist Abbas Gallyamov.

- 'Show we can work together' -

For many, the goals of the march are closer to home: reconciliation after months of bitter infighting.

In September, Navalny's associates accused an opposition faction backed by former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky of ordering a hammer attack on a key associate.

Last month, another prominent figure, Maxim Katz, accused Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation of helping two bankers accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars boost their reputations in the West.

The scandals showcased how divided the opposition had become in exile.

"It is very important to show that we can work together and consolidate different forces of the Russian anti-war movement," Kara-Murza told Dozhd earlier this month.

But questions also surround what that "Russian anti-war movement" stands for.

While forthright in opposing Putin and condemning the invasion, some opposition figures are more cautious on issues like military support to Kyiv or whether they want Ukraine to be victorious on the battlefield.

Navalnaya on Wednesday said that she was in favour of "the defeat of Vladimir Putin", but not the "defeat of my country".

Ahead of the march, Yashin even felt forced to push back against squabbles among supporters over what flags they should bring -- Russian, Ukrainian, both or neither.

"This is not about flags but about solidarity with political prisoners, rejection of an aggressive war and resistance to Putin's policies," he said on social media.

"Concentrate on the posters and the slogans. Let's become the voice of our compatriots who are being silenced in Russia."

J.AbuShaban--SF-PST