In Astrakhan, nationalists hold rally "Russians against Occupation"

On September 14, in Lenin Square, rally "Russians against Occupation" was held. About sixty participants of the rally demanded to grant the Astrakhan Region the status of the near-border region, to build in Astrakhan a monument to Svyatoslav the Brave, and not to amend the Law "On Citizenship".

The rally sanctioned by the authorities was attended by ethno-political associations "Russians", "Russians of Astrakhan", "Rus Molodaya" (Young Russia), and "Otchizna" (Fatherland).

"Our Astrakhan Region borders with such countries as Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and with internal republics of Dagestan and Kalmykia. We should stop the mass outer and inner migration by granting Astrakhan the status of the near-border city," believes Nikolai Kirsanov, Chairman of the Astrakhan regional organization for preservation and development of Russian history and culture "Otchizna".

During the rally, the associations "Russians of Astrakhan" and "Rus Molodaya" started collecting signatures for the construction of the monument to Svyatoslav the Brave in Astrakhan.

"In Astrakhan, there are a lot of monuments of all kinds to leaders of other nations. And there is no single monument to a Slavic hero, to a commander-winner," noted Igvar Stefan, the leader of the Astrakhan regional branch of the ethno-political association "Russians".