From the Shies Campaign to Wartime Activism: The Legacy of Environmental Protests in the Arkhangelsk Region

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of the Shies protest (2018-2021) in Arkhangelsk Oblast, which began as a fight against environmental exploitation by Moscow but came to influence local activism during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Using Resource Mobilization Theory (RMT), it demonstrates how the organizational networks and strategies formed during the Shies movement enabled activists to continue protesting during wartime. However, this wave of anti-war resistance was eventually stifled by intense state repression, reflecting broader issues of civil society and dissent in Russia.