Nemtsov: One Year Later

Boris Nemtsov was murdered exactly a year ago. Some of the men who organized and carried out his murder have been caught, but the name of the person who ordered the killing remains a mystery.

On February 27, at least 20,000 people in Moscow took part in a march in memory of the opposition politician, who was murdered right outside the walls of the Kremlin. Apparently, the march’s organizers did not expect such a large number of attendees, counting, apparently, on a more intimate event for Nemtsov’s friends and supporters. There was, accordingly, almost no political rhetoric on display except for ritualistic slogans such as “We remember,” “Russia will be free,” and “Free the political prisoners” (inescapable in the current circumstances).

However, the anti-crisis march Nemtsov himself had planned for March 1, 2015, consequently did not take place, and no one from his entourage contemplated doing anything like it during the year that followed his death.

For the second year in a row, the event was a memorial. The slogan on one placard, “I’m speechless,” was the apotheosis of this helplessness. The crowd was mostly silent. Only here and there did marchers sing the Marseillaise or shout anti-Putin slogans, but almost no one among their fellow marchers repeated the slogans. The homemade placards were even fewer than usual, although the sunny pre-spring weather clearly lifted people’s spirits.

The demonstrators, however, had not come to downtown Moscow just for a stroll but to express their mutual disagreement with something that, alas, no one bothered to articulate. Today’s Nemtsov memorial march resembled a political rally without a political agenda.

—anatrrra

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24692824793_6514da86fa_b — “Fight Back.” In Russian, the phrase (*Boris’*) is a play on Nemtsov’s first name (*Boris*). Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

"Name all the people who ordered the murder." Photo by and courtesy of Anatrrra — “Name all the people who ordered the murder.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrrra

25226475181_2c8d2a5d9e_b — Nemtsov memorial march, Moscow, February 27, 2016. Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

"Boris Nemtsov, Russian Hero." Photo by and courtesy of Anatrra — “Boris Nemtsov, Russian Hero.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

"Live so that he would be proud of you." Photo by and courtesy of Anatrra — “Live so that he would be proud of you.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

Nemtsov Memorial March, Moscow, February 27, 2016. Photo by and courtesy of Anatrra — Nemtsov memorial march, Moscow, February 27, 2016. Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

"I watch only Channel One." Photo by and courtesy of Anatrra — “I watch only Channel One.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

Photo by and courtesy of Anatrra — “Spiralling, the ruble tumbles. / My limbs are getting cold. / Too early to sow. / Too late to harvest. / I’ll go warm up next to Gehenna.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

"Kill me, Kadyrov." Photo by and courtesy of Anatrra — “Kill me, Kadyrov.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

"We remember" // "Fight back / Boris." Photo by and courtesy of Anatrra — “We remember” // “Fight back / Boris.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

"Free the political prisoners." Photo by and courtesy of Anatrra — “Free the political prisoners.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrra

"I'm speechless." Photo by and courtesy of Anatrrra — “I’m speechless.” Photo by and courtesy of anatrrra

My thanks to anatrrra for writing a special preface to their photo reportage and permitting me to reprint several of the photos on this website. The rest of anatrrra’s visual account of the Nemtsov memorial march can be viewed here. TRR