Recently the Canadian government designated the Russian Imperial Movement-RIM (Russkoe Imperskoe Dvizhenie) as a terrorist group as defined by Canada’s Criminal Code.
In April of 2020, The US Department of State had already classified the RID as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity. In the US it was the first time that a white supremacist extremist organization was thus designated.
As an ultra-nationalist, pro-monarchist paramilitary organization based in Russia that seeks to restore the Russian empire, RIM strives for a mono-ethnic state in Russia ruled by an autocratic monarchy.
RIM was established in 2002 as part of the Russian right-wing awakening, spurred by the socioeconomic chaos of the 1990s, increasing immigration and mounting restrictions on political dissent. It has its natural place within a broad spectrum of monarchist groups that identify with Russia’s imperialist past, espouses antisemitic ideas and advocates revolutionary violence.
According to the group, power should be vested in two strong institutions: the tsar who was the political ruler in pre-communist Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church, holding spiritual power. Russian nationalism is rooted in ethnic identity which translates into Russian control or influence over all territory in which ethnic Russians live.
(Pikemalt saab lugeda Eesti Elu 12. veebr. 2021 paber- ja PDF/Digilehest)
