#42 | July 2 - 15, 1998  

By Edward Limonov

We have met a train loaded with Vorkuta's coal miners at Yaroslavsky Station on June 11th, at 11:20 a.m. Heavy sunshine have blinded hundreds of militiamen and crowd of "Trudovaya Rossiya's" brave old women and men, as well as my black-clad National-Bolsheviks boys. We have waved our red-white-black flags. Miners, coming from the train, didn't smile. They were rather shy, strangely clean, well-shaven, they were embarrassed by our radical welcome. Attempts of Viktor Anpilov and me to organize meeting straight away on Yaroslavsky Station near monument of Lenin, didn't work. Some invisible force have sended couple of buses to collect their gear, so miners have put their belongings to the buses and suddenly started to march. We have no alternative, as only one-we joined them.

We joined them well. National-Bolsheviks proved to be much more experienced and skillful group than miners. They march silently. We have shouted our slogans: "We hate government!" "Money to workers, death to bankers!" or even "Bourgeoisie to the gaz chambers!" Miners were at first shocked but soon, some of them started to shout with us. Leader of "Union of Handicapped Coal Miners of Vorkuta," Vladimir Potishny, nick-named "General," big, heavy-built man, came to me later, to shake my hand. "Thanks, without your boys, we would look like a herd of sheep." Marching through Moscow we made friends with miners. I found out that some of them even read my books.

Casked miners, my skinheaded boys, gray-haired Anpilov's babushkas under blue-black, red, red-white-black (NBP) banners we finally came near "White House." Out there, on Gorbatii Mostik (Hunchbacked Bridge) we were, of course, awaited by heavy contingent of militia, including dozens of colonels and lieutenant-colonels. All space, intended to be reservation for miners was encircled by metal fences. At entrance, leader of NPG (Independent Union of Coal Miners) Mr. Sergeev have pointed at Anpilov and me to militia officers: "Don't let those people in! We, miners, don't want to see those provocateurs with us!" So, that is how it all started with miners, our relationship. By rank and file miners friendly, and by Mr. Sergeev pointing at us, as collaborator of WW2, shouting to occupying German forces: "Those are partisans!"

Miners still there. I am visiting their camp almost every day. They have been attacked by strong sunshine at first, then by hurricane, later by rains. Their only one demand is: removal of President from Kremlin. One of their slogans said: "Boris, we have placed you there, we will also remove you!" With pleasure, I heard them shouting at National-Bolsheviks slogans: "Yeltsin to the coal mine!" "Yeltsin-to the planks!" Rank and file miners undergone radicalization, because of everyday chat with my boys, or with Trudovaya Rossiya's babushkas. Positions of miners leaders differs greatly. Anti-radical, hostile to the everything red is as always Mr. Sergeev, friendly is Vorkuta's local leader of NPG Victor Semionov. Extremely radical is Mr. Pimenov, union leader of one of Vorkuta's mines. Radical, but less than Pimenov is already-mentioned "General" Vladimir Potishni.

They all want to see Yeltsin go. Somebody of course helping them. Some other forces who want to see Yeltsin ousted from power. Somebody of course have paid (NPG is not so rich to pay for that) for their trip, for their stay in Moscow, for everyday expenses of three hundred men. Rumors claim that Mr. Berezovsky is manipulator of a miners' scene. Probably. But it is also truth that Mr. Berezovsky is handy outlet for all the political fantasies of Russians. On the second day of miners' stay on Gorbatii Mostik (I saw myself) "Russky Bistro" bus have arrived and fed miners for free. On June 26th, Iosif Kobzon have singed for miners. Kobzon and "Russky Bistro" are closely associated with a name of Mr. Luzhkov, mayor of Moscow.

Personally, I don't' care who helped Vorkuta's miners to get to Gorbatii Mostik and to stay there. What I reproach to Vorkuta's miners that is their cold desire to keep a distance from radical political organizations. Miners complain that small group of very same people visits them in their camp, that Muscovites didn't join them. But, dearest comrades, that is exactly because you refuse to open and honest collaboration with a radical forces of Moscow, that people don't go to you. Just ask Anpilov and Limonov and at least few thousands people will come with us to you. We will bring them. Together we can create a situation similar to that of October 1993.

What will happen? What is going to be? Probably some kind of crisis will occur from July 8th, until July 11th, as towards the day of opening of Olympic Youth Games in Moscow on July 11th, the government will be obliged to displace miners' camp. Very possible that it will be a fight, an assault by OMON's forces. National-Bolsheviks Party will help miners of course, as we also want to see Yeltsin go. He is, no doubt, most negative man in whole Russian history. He is the Devil. We will fight Devil's forces.