From 1 until 6 of August in Vladimir Oblast took place gathering of the left forces that are in opposition to today’s government in Russia.

After having received command from the VRY commander S. Udaltzov to arrive to the gathering Leningrad branch of the VRY discussed the logistics of travel. Several people volunteered to go to the gathering.

After Russian government had tried to dismiss the Camp of left forces in Krasnodarski Krai on the Black Sea, the organizers decided not to announce the place of gathering. All participants were told to meet in Moscow.

Leningrad delegates traveled to Moscow by train to save money. Two young people from Moscow accompanied us in our journey; they were two national Bolsheviks returning home after visiting their friend Masha Kolada.

We arrived in the capital somewhat earlier than we have originally planned, however comrades were waiting for us already. A very comfortable Moscow apartment was arranged for us to spend the night in. Ready for departure to the Camp of left forces, people from various communist and patriot organizations gathered the next morning near the metro station Avtozavodskaya.

We traveled by bus. Together with members of the VRY there were representatives of the Union of communist youth Rodina. People on the trip were happy; they sang songs and told jokes.

Later the representatives of left forces got off the bus not far from the city Kirzhach. We walked through the forest of Vladimirskaya Oblast and ended up on the shore of the picturesque river Kirzhach where our comrades from Belarus cities Minsk and Pinsk, who arrived there earlier, met us. We started setting the camp. We established a tent city – a commune of a sort in the midst of Russian forest.

The official opening of the camp started with razing of the flag of the Soviet Union. The honours of raising the flag were given to the fighters of the Vanguard of Red Youth and the Union of Communist Youth (UCY). The red flag with hammer and sickle was proudly flying over the camp during the entire seven days. Next to it were flying flags of the VRY and the UCY.

Active participants in the life of the camp were the VRY fighters from Moscow, Podmoskovie (Moscow Suburbs), Leningrad, Samara, Karelia, Kaluga, Krasnoyarsk, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Latvia and together with them were members of the UCY, Trotskyites and youth organization Rodina.

We broke into groups and kept turns doing chores. We cooked food on camp fire. Every day one of the groups was on duty.

Illia Ponomarev, one of the main leaders of the Left Front of Russia, stayed in a separate tent. Sergei Tikhotski was appointed as the commander of the camp.

We alternated theoretical discussions and political education with sports and military training. We practiced shooting from automatic rifles, avoiding hits by police clubs and escaping when being captured by police. We role-played various scenarios, such as how to behave during interrogation by legal organs. There was an experienced lawyer who explained to us numerous legal details. At the time we did not know yet that very soon we will need this knowledge.

Representatives of various social and political organizations and journalists visited the camp. Political scientist Belkovsky described his view of the situation in Russia and nearby countries and forecasted the course of development of Russian political events. The leaders of youth organization Rodina tried to coordinate their position on may issues with other left forces. In the village nearby the camp a new branch of the VRY was created.

When the time came to say goodbye it was a little sad to close the camp. In those few days many people made new friends from many places of our Motherland. I can finish my story about the camp with the words: "The ones who weren’t there missed a lot".

Having rested and gained practical and theoretical experience, members of the Vanguard of the Red Youth held Plenum of the Central Committee of the VRY. On the seventh of August delegates from 26 regions of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia and Kazakhstan made brief reports about their branches’ activities. The commander Max Malishev and Anatoly Molotov reported about the activity of Leningrad branch.

Chairman of the VRY Sergei Udaltzov was interested in their interaction with other political organization in the city. Plenum has decided to cooperate with all political movements of the opposition. In this regard it was highlighted that we should not be consumed by other political movements agendas, but should firmly hold our position.

We were discussing dismemberment of pseudo-patriotic organizations, such as Nashi, by using their pickets and their methods of work to our advantage.

After the Plenum of the Central Committee of the VRY we met with the leadership of CPSU. Richard Ivanovich Kosolapov made a report on basic tactics "Minimum of the necessary political education is the foundation of successful struggle". Member of the VRY expressed their opinions and suggestions.

Concluding the meeting Admiral Berezin said "VRY is a fresh breath of air in political work" and encouraged closer and friendlier cooperation.

On August 9^th the fighters of the VRY held a protest near the central office of the public prosecutor of the Russian Federation. The action was caused by the unlimited rights abuse in the Russian legal system. Under the cover of slogans about "democracy", "freedom", "toleration" and "political correctness" Putin’s government conducts political repressions of that part of the opposition, which defends the rights of oppressed and cheated people. Actions of protest organized by left opposition always end with police chasing them away, beating people and with imprisonments of various duration times.

Up until recently young left forces tried to draw government’s attention to people being unhappy about the government’s policies by peaceful means. However, our peaceful demonstrations only added wood to the fire of repressive apparatus of Putin’s administration and encouraged them to shed blood. With understanding that now we will not avoid beatings and bloodshed either, the protesters handcuffed themselves to each other and to the fence of the Central office of the public prosecutor of the Russian Federation. They have also blocked Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street. The protesters demanded that the Chief Prosecutor Ustinov review the matter of unlimited abuse of legal rights in Russia in accordance with the law.

The protestors held slogan "Those in power, enough of self-rule" and shouted "No to political repressions", "Freedom to the members of National Bolshevik Party", "Freedom to political prisoners". They waited for their meeting with Ustinov prepared to pass on to him appeal of the VRY.

However, the guards of law demonstrated not for the first time the way they understand rights and freedoms of the citizens of the Russian Federation. Rage of the defenders of today’s constitutional rules was so great that not only members of the VRY, but also journalists appeared under the attack of police clubs. Even several policemen were knocked off their feet. During the arrest the police broke our comrade from Samara Mikhail Lomako’s arm. Other activists had traumas as well.

At the police station, despite our requests, the police did not call the ambulance for a long time. Also, they delayed calling the ones responsible for taking the handcuffs off. The arrested people’s hands were swollen from being handcuffed for a long time. Nonetheless, by the end of the day all arrested protesters were let go. This was the end of the summer campaign of the VRY. The struggle goes on. Ahead is Anticap-2005!