The Union of Slavic Forces of Russia (USSR; ; Soyuz slavyanskikh sil Rusi, SSSR), also known as Home in the USSR, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Citizens of the USSR, Government of the USSR, Soviet Citizens, Witnesses of the USSR, necro-communists and necromancers, is an informal social movement in Russia whose supporters believe that the Soviet Union (and/or the Russian Empire) as a sovereign state and a subject of international relations continues to exist, consider themselves its citizens, and do not recognize the Russian Federation, observe its laws, or obey government authorities. The movement's ideological component is belief in, and promulgation of, conspiracy theories, anti-Semitism and neo-paganism. The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged the movement to adopt QAnon beliefs. According to the FSB, it had 150,000 followers in 2018. In 2019, the Supreme Court of the Komi Republic identified the Union of Slavic Forces of Russia as an extremist organization.
History and ideology
Taraskin group
The movement was started in 2010 by Sergei Taraskin (born 1962) of Dushanbe, owner of a Zelenograd dental clinic. Taraskin, also known as "Fire God Taraskin" and "Owner of the Universe", said that he is a "citizen of the USSR, a descendant of subjects of the Russian Empire, Tsardom of Russia and other pre-existing subjects of law in our country Russia (Rus', Tartaria, Borea, Scythia, and so on), a descendant of the noble breed of Slavs, who is covered by the mantle of Alexander Filippovich, Tsar of Macedon, Sovereign of the Monarchy".
The clinic lost its investor, fell behind on the rent, and Moscow authorities ordered its eviction. Taraskin appealed the eviction in Moscow Arbitration Court, and declared himself "interim President of the USSR". He also said that he was "Emperor and Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Empire", and vowed to fulfill the obligations undertaken "until all structures, bodies and organizations of these entities are legitimately (lawfully) restored, after which I am willing to voluntarily resign from myself these obligations." He issued an order about a "Third World War", which would stop a theoretical NATO offensive against the USSR and prevent the armed forces of the military-political bloc from entering the country, and promised of gold for the "elimination" of the president of any state providing assistance to NATO and for a general. Taraskin wanted to revive the KGB and SMERSH, and said on September 18, 2015: "Each of you will certainly answer for all your actions and your inactions during this period in X-hour ... all your inaction will be interpreted against you". His group's ideology is based on the German Reichsbürger movement and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, including the forged Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Religious scholar Roman Silantyev identified similarities between the two movements:
From 2010 to 2016, Taraskin appointed his supporters to the posts of prime minister, ambassador-at-large, interim head of the Ukrainian SSR and "governors" of over 10 constituent entities of the Russian Federation; the latter includes Volgograd Oblast, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Krasnodar Krai, Krasnoyarsk Krai, and the Tatar ASSR.
Taraskin held a December 2016 meeting of his "government of the USSR" in Chelyabinsk, where he and "presidential administration" head Valery Ryzhov issued attendees "USSR passports" and promised that when the USSR was restored, the government would pay each of them 14 billion rubles. The meeting participants pledged their property to the USSR. Roman Silantyev said that Taraskin and his supporters sold permits for the sale of alcoholic beverages for half a million "occupation rubles" which, after seizing power, would be worth 560 tons of gold. According to Silantyev, "In addition to trolling judges and law enforcement officers, [movement adherents] create serious problems for power engineers, gas workers and utilities, refusing to pay for their services ... in the Trade Union of the USSR group, you can easily buy a 'Soviet' trade union card and for 200 rubles of monthly contributions to its card, [and] feel free from many burdensome expenses ... only until the forced shutdown of light and heat". The group's "Ministry of Internal Affairs" sells "Soviet" license plates, "Soviet" driver's licenses and vehicle inspection coupons. A complete set costs "only 19 thousand "bibariks (Bank of Russia tickets), which supposedly gives full immunity from GIBDD officers." Taraskin's supporters created an online store in Barnaul, and collected donations in Kursk to fight "myths" about HIV.