The Communist Party set up a patriotic youth group Monday that immediately sued Europe’s top security and human rights watchdog for $40 trillion for a resolution equating Nazism and Stalinism.
The group, called Generation of Victory, filed a suit against the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for 27 trillion euros ($40.3 trillion) for passing a resolution that equated the roles of Adolf Hitler’s Germany and Josef Stalin’s Soviet Union in starting World War II, said State Duma Deputy Alexei Korniyenko, who was elected head of the group.
The lawsuit was filed in the European Court of Human Rights, Korniyenko told Interfax.
OSCE officials had no immediate comment on the lawsuit.
Members passed a resolution at the OSCE’s annual parliamentary meeting in July to recognize Aug. 23 as day of remembrance for victims of Stalinism and Nazism. That was the day in 1939 that Germany and the Soviet Union signed a pact carving up Eastern Europe between them. World War II started about a week later.
Generation of Victory will “promote patriotic upbringings and defend the interests of military officers and veterans,” Korniyenko told RIA-Novosti.
He said the group would also set up patriotic clubs for youth that would offer preliminary military training for future conscripts, among other things.
The new group, created by 13 interregional nongovernmental groups, held its founding congress in Moscow on Monday.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.