Russian Crackdown on Potential Civil Unrest

The Kremlin is concerned over potential civil unrest due to the global financial crisis. President Medvedev has announced a crackdown on crime and unrest that is related to the economic downturn.

In a strange twist of events, there are some indicators that the interior of Russia is facing mounting unrest. In a quote taken from Reuters, President Dmitry Medvedev, gave the order to local law enforcement officials to trample any potential unrest or criminal acts, which are directly related to the economic crisis. President Medvedev is quoted as saying,

"We have a stable state ... We do not need a return to the 1990s when everything was boiling and seething," Medvedev told a meeting of senior officials.” "The law enforcement agencies should keep track of what is happening."

Although Medvedev is concerned with those who might take advantage of the crisis through exploitative measures, his main apprehension does not seem to be the welfare of the population, but that of the State.

"And if someone tries to exploit the consequences of the financial crisis ... they should intervene, bring criminal charges. Otherwise, there won't be order,” he said.

Most of the population in Russia has not yet felt the pinch of the global financial crisis mainly because many do not have pensions. Nevertheless, within the oil industry, there has been a drop in oil prices from $140/barrel in July to about $60/barrel, presently. If these problems persist, some analysts say that many private sector firms will have to start laying off employees. The Kremlin is obviously very concerned about destabilization of its population due to the financial problems, Medvedev is not the only high-ranking Kremlin official anxious about this. Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev, at a meeting with the President, told him that there was an impending risk of radicalism and racial tension due to the influx of the immigrant workforce in Russia. His is quoted as saying,

"Anti-crisis groups have been set up in the regions ... to intercept any early indications of destabilisation."

There is some opposition forming to the Kremlin, former chess champion Garry Kasparov announced the formation of a new anti-Kremlin coalition and professed that the current economic problems would increase the number of new recruits to his movement. Analysts agree that most of the opposition is simply too disorganized to pose any real threat or danger to the Kremlin now.