Issue #06/61, March 25 - April 7, 1999  

By Edward Limonov

Once upon a time it was a Russian movie director named Nikita Mikhalkov. Famous, known, appreciated in his country, he enjoyed public acclaim and at 53, was at very summit of his glory.

On January 7, 1999, in Asian city of Almaty, happy movie director Mikhalkov have presented to Asian public his new movie, The Barber Of Siberia. Entire family of Kazakhstan's President Nazarbayev have visited premiere of his film, Nazarbayev's wife, his three adult daughters, and numerous relatives have applauded talented master. Everything went well and happy master movie director Nikita Mikhalkov have pronounced a speech. In his speech he said that he wished that Nursultan Nazarbayev will be again elected president by the people of Kazakhstan. No man will save Kazakhstan's people better than Nursultan Nazarbayev. So, people, what you have to do is to vote January 10 for Nazarbayev. Few days after, on January 10, Nazarbayev was "elected" by people of Kazakhstan. Even very indulgent European Community didn't recognize those Asian elections--violent, fraudulent.

Very far from city of Almaty in frozen Moscow in the basement at Second Frunzenskaya dom 7, National-Bolsheviks Party talked about Kazakhstan's elections at its weekly meeting. Members of National-Bolsheviks Party, you see, have visited Kazakhstan in May 1997, they knew what kind of state it is. They were arrested there, in town of Kokchetov, where they met Kazakhstan's Russian dissidents. They knew that if Russia is merely Police State, Kazakhstan is tyrannical one.

"What a fuck he does that Mikhalkov, didn't he know what kind of regime is Nazarbayev's state?" asked each other National-Bolsheviks. Hundreds of Russian dissidents been killed in a savage way by Nazarbayev's henchmen. Hundreds of thousands of Russians have fled Kazakhstan. So why the fucker did it?

Finally, National-Bolsheviks agree that Mikhalkov didn't give a damn about Russians in Kazakhstan or elsewhere. Offspring of prominent "noble" family, he despises people in general, he feels belonging to the race of ministers and Presidents.

On February 20, at 11:30 a.m., just before first presentation of very same movie of Mikhalkov in Moscow at Radisson-Slavjanskaya Hotel, few National-Bolsheviks have thrown leaflets into the crowd of journalists. Furious, Mikhalkov have telephoned to his friend Minister of Interior Sergei Stepashin. "Sergei, do something, those mother-fucking Limonov's people ruining my reputation! Leaflets say that I am friend of butcher Nazarbayev. They have named people killed by Nazarbayev's police. Do something! Arrest them! Arrest that fucking Limonov and his people!"

"I should have a reason to arrest them, Nikita. Throwing leaflets is not punishable by arrest."

"So, find a reason, Sergei. Put something into their headquarters. Some drugs, some weapons!"

"You asking me to organize a provokatsiya, Nikita, are you crazy?! I am Minister, I would lose my post! On the contrary, if your Kazakh's friends will take that part of operation into their hands, will arrange that some drugs or weapons will be found and Limonov's headquarters, well, I will send my militiamen to find them. Ask Nazarbayev--he owes you for a lot."

At 2 p.m., cardboard box filled with a bottles of Molotov cocktails was found by National-Bolsheviks on the stairs of their headquarters. "For NBP To Fight Democrats!" was written on box. National-Bolsheviks promptly carried box to 107th police precinct, located in the same building as our headquarters. After 3 p.m., crowd of militiamen stormed into National-Bolsheviks basement. Almost immediately have arrived NTV television crew and militia program Dezhurnaya Chast'. Alas! Kazakhs have worked too quickly; Russian militiamen too slowly. So there was nothing to film, no work for television crew. None whatsoever!

(Footnote: Molotov cocktail provokatsiya is specific Kazakh invention. Just before January 10th elections in Kazakhstan, Molotov cocktails were delivered to the editor's office of opposition publication XXI Century. Kazakh militia came on time, and XXI Century was shut down.)

As nothing was found, militia have called fire department officer, who sealed an office of National-Bolsheviks Party. But on February 24, it was opened by Limonov's demand. Because provokatsiya had failed.

Then on February 26th, National-Bolsheviks in Riga, Latvia, have throwed leaflets at the Latvian premiere of very same Mikhalkov's new film. Few days later, leaflets been thrown in Pushkinsky movie theater in Moscow. Furious, Mikhalkov watched helplessly at process of ruining of his reputation. Because Mikhalkov have managed to have a snow-white reputation of a Russian patriot, worshipper of Russian values. He spoke pompously about church, Tsar, vodka, bliny. Oddly enough, miserable fate of six million Russians in Kazakhstan wasn't included in Mikhalkov's Russian values.

On March 10, during Mikhalkov's lecture to film students at "House Of Cinema," National-Bolsheviks Dmitry Bakhur and Yegor Gorshkov have thrown two eggs at Russian patriot Nikita Mikhalkov. Infuriated Mikhalkov have kicked boys with his legs while they been subdued and prostrated on the floor by at least four men. Real hero, Mikhalkov, said, posing to the press, that he "served in the Marines." Then he called to his friend Stepashin.

"Sergei, I got them. How will they be punished?"

"They will spend a night in militsia precinct. In the morning they will be transferred into Presnensky court. They will be fined, that is all..."

"I want to see them in prison!"

On March 13, Dmitri Bakhur and Yegor Gorshkov were transferred to Butirka prison. At very same day, Nikita Mikhalkov vent to a tennis tournament for VIPs, where he played haunch-to-haunch with Kremlin Administration deputy Oleg Sysuev, former Yeltsin spokesman Yasterzhembsky, Mayor Luzhkov, and other very important men. Russian boys Bakhur and Gorshkov stepped into overcrowded prison cell, hating Russian patriot Mikhalkov. Dmitri Bakhur, been amongst nine National-Bolsheviks who participated in National-Bolsheviks Party trip to Kazakhstan, knows well real beasty face of Nazarbayev's regime. He knows it first-hand. He remembers pale of fear Cossacks of Kokchetov, after unsuccessful attempt of Cossacks to get Kokchetov region to secede from Kazakhstan and join Russia. He knows the names of murdered Russians.

On March 15, National-Bolsheviks lawyer Sergei Belyak have demanded an accusation of Mikhalkov for beating Bakhur and Gorshkov with his legs. On March 17, press conference of Limonov and Belyak was attended by only eight journalists, although invitation have been send to 120. The very same day, Mikhalkov and his lawyer, Kucherenea, have visited TV 6 people of program You Be The Eyewitness in order to see a video cassette where he, Mikhalkov, have shown beating Russian boys Bakhur and Gorshkov with his feet. Mikhalkov probably bought that cassette.