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  Published in Science and Technology on Tuesday, September 23rd 2025 at 4:56 GMT by World Socialist Web Site

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Russia’s New Crackdown on Civil Society: A Growing Threat to Workers, Women and Young People

The World Socialist Web Site’s September 23, 2025 feature on the Russian Federation—titled “Russia’s Crackdown on Civil Society: What It Means for Workers and the Wider Masses”—offers a stark look at the Kremlin’s latest campaign to tighten its iron grip on every sector of society. In a country where the ruling elite have long been accustomed to a “soft‑power” approach, the government’s latest set of laws and executive decrees marks a dramatic shift toward a more overtly authoritarian model that directly threatens the everyday lives of ordinary Russians, especially those who have already been left out of the state’s preferential economic package.

The article opens with an overview of the new “Law on the Prevention of Extremist Propaganda” and the “Regulation of NGOs and Independent Media” enacted in the spring of 2025. In effect, the legislation expands the definition of “extremism” to include any public criticism of the state, any form of “political activism” that is not carried out by the “authorized” state‑approved NGOs, and any content that is deemed to threaten the “security and unity” of the country. The decree allows the Federal Security Service (FSB) to arbitrarily arrest individuals or shut down organizations with little to no due process. It also creates a database that allows the state to keep a constant “watch‑list” of activists and journalists that it considers “potential threats.”

The article’s first linked source is a 2024 feature on the “Rise of the “New Protest Law”, which details the ways in which the state has been using the “public order” justification to shut down dissent for years. The new law effectively criminalises a large chunk of the activities that the “Yury Gagarin” NGO and many others have been doing in the past two years—namely, the distribution of independent leaflets, the holding of public forums and the reporting of living conditions for the working class. The article quotes a former employee of the NGO, who, after being detained, said, “We were the first to notice that the law was being written so that it would allow us to arrest anyone that the state does not want to hear.” The article notes that the crackdown is not limited to NGOs; the state is also targeting independent journalists, activists, and student groups.

One of the most chilling aspects highlighted in the feature is the state’s use of “digital surveillance” to track the movement of dissenters. Russian citizens can now be monitored via their mobile phones, social media accounts, and even the apps they use to order food. The government’s “Digital Protection Agency” has been granted broad authority to read private communications in the name of “national security.” This surveillance has been used to arrest a group of university students who were simply holding a “Peace” protest on the campus of the Lomonosov University. The students, who were later released, were told that they were being “involved in extremist propaganda” and were “required to undergo “cognitive re‑education.”

The feature also draws a connection between the new laws and the state’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The article cites a link to “The Kremlin’s War on Ukraine and the Working Class”, which explains how Russia’s war efforts have been financed by a “crash‑dump” of the working class. According to the linked article, the war has drained the country’s resources and the government’s decision to re‑allocate money to the war instead of social programmes has only made the situation worse for the poorest and most vulnerable. The feature points out that the new laws are an attempt by the state to prevent dissent in the face of growing domestic dissatisfaction over the war and the country’s economic stagnation.

An important section of the feature is the coverage of the reactions of the opposition. The article quotes an interview with a leading Marxist activist, who points out that the new laws are “the ultimate attempt by the state to erase dissenting voices.” The activist explains that the state is not only tightening its grip on civil society, but it is also tightening its grip on the working class itself, by “forcing the labor market into a state of crisis.” The article explains that the new laws have led to a rise in “unauthorised” labour protests and that the state’s security forces have responded with increased intimidation and violence. According to the feature, the new law has already resulted in the arrest of more than 200 activists and journalists, most of whom are still held in pre‑trial detention, and many of whom have not yet received a trial.

The article also references the new “Social Services Reform” bill, which eliminates the state’s support for low‑income families and replaces it with a “temporary allowance” that is meant to “help families get by” until the “full benefits package” is restored. The new legislation also restricts the number of low‑income families that can receive assistance, making the already‑unbalanced system even more unfair. The feature cites the article “Social Services in Russia: A Systemic Crisis” for an in‑depth look at how the reforms are expected to reduce the state’s obligations to the poor. The article quotes a local resident, who says that her family’s “household income has been cut in half,” and that she will “have to find a new job.” The resident also says that the state’s “new policies” are a direct attempt to “exacerbate social inequalities” by “focusing more on the rich than the poor.”

Overall, the feature calls for an international response to this crackdown. The article argues that the international community has a moral and political responsibility to stand in solidarity with the working class in Russia, the people who are being oppressed. The article urges readers to take part in a “global campaign for freedom of speech and democratic rights” that includes protests in front of embassies and a coordinated campaign of civil disobedience in Moscow. The article ends with a statement from the editor, who says, “In a time when the state is looking to eliminate dissent, the international community must do everything possible to support the working class and keep the struggle alive.”

In short, the article paints a sobering picture of Russia’s new “totalitarian” strategy that targets the very heart of the working class, women, and young people. By expanding the definition of “extremism” to include the everyday political dissent that is necessary for any functioning democracy, the Kremlin is sending a clear message that there will be no more space for opposition voices. In addition to the legal crackdown, the article highlights the use of digital surveillance, the re‑allocation of resources to the war effort, and the systemic social reforms that are designed to keep the most vulnerable away from state protection. It’s a clear call to the international community to step up in solidarity with Russia’s working people and help them stand up against the ever‑growing oppression.