The leaders of the richest and most powerful countries in the world are meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, to take decisions that will strengthen the hold of corporations on our lives, increase poverty and exploitation, extend repression and control, and accelerate the destruction of the environment.  Meanwhile, those who have a different vision for the future of the planet –one based on freedom, equality, the sharing of wealth and respect for the environment- are being brutally suppressed by the repressive Russian State.
This year’s host of the G8, Russia, has put the main focus of the summit on world energy policies. The ‘Communique on Energy Security’ that the G8 leaders  are  to  approve,  which   has  been  leaked to Reclaim The Commons Organisation (www.reclaimthecommons.org), calls for increased investments in oil, gas and coal industries, and for development of the nuclear industry. This is the G8’s way to fight the climate change. Russia, for its part, is ready to open an international centre for uranium enrichment. It also plans to construct 40 new nuclear reactors by 2030.           
It is no wonder that many Russians others from all over the world, want to make their dissenting voices heard at the G8 summit. However, the Russian state is doing everything it can to ensure that these voices are not heard. The policies of repression against G8 protesters are in keeping with their policies through-out society. The Russian Federation has successfully introduced the Orwellian model that combines eternal anti-terrorist war (its pet rogue nation is Chechnya) with encroachment on democratic freedoms. Mass media channels such as TV stations and newspapers are being brought under Kremlin control.
At the same time, the government is getting a better grip on opposition (thanks to a new law that makes NGO’s subject to supervision of the authorities). On the street level, there is increasing  violence from right-wing groups that goes on unchecked by the authorities. There were several hundreds of attacks over the last few years, all over Russia. Several antifascists have been killed. Moscow has seen such organisations blocking with Orthodox Christian fanatics in a crackdown on gay community, that the police seem unwilling to halt. During the attempted gay pride march in Moscow on May 27 the police were more concerned with stopping the gay rights activists rather than those who attacked them. It might be seen as a rehearsal in using the violent right-wingers against protesters at the G8 summit; all the authorities need to do is let it happen.
The police themselves have openly prepared for the summit. St. Petersburg special forces police (OMON) has got three new armoured cars, specifically designed to disperse crowds. The city police were put on heightened alert from May 15, and held trainings on dispersing antiglobalists. St. Petersburg airport are only receiving planes with official delegations, and the Eastern part of Gulf of Finland is closed for all ships. The homeless were removed from St. Petersburg and Moscow authorities have banned any and all demonstrations in the city through the Summer.
However, despite the oppressive atmosphere, there are groups in Russia that have risked much to organise the protests against the G8 summit.
As we write these lines we hear of hundreds of arrests already been made, and we worry about what the next days will bring.  We need your support to stop this repression. You can help by sending this leaflet to the Russian ambassador in the UK, or simply sending it on a fax. You can also send your concerns to the embassy’s email address. They need to know that repression will not be unopposed.   

Embassy of the Russian Federation Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QX;
tel.: 020-7229-26-66, 020-7229-72-81;
fax: 020-7229-58-04;
e-mail: office@rusemblon.org