Socrates the Skinhead: The Life of a Russian Antifascist

Socrates the Skinhead: The Life of a Russian Antifascist is a collection of memory and memoirs revolving around Aleksei Sutuga, a Russian antifascist and anarchist. The book includes interviews and talks given by Sutuga, as well as his recollections of life in Siberian prison. This book offers the reader a fascinating chronicle of the most active period in the history of the Russian antifascist movement.

Unfortunately, the Russian state has monopolised and appropriated antifascism and attempts to use it to justify mass murder in Ukraine. However, there was a time when the antifascist movement was true to its meaning and also resulted in the death, imprisonment, and emigration of its participants. The book tells us what the contemporary anti-war and antifascist movements can learn from the experience of Russian antifascists while also highlighting the importance of recording and researching recent history.

Aleksei Sutuga, aka Socrates, was an anarchist and antifascist. He played a key role in founding the anarchist organisation Autonomous Action. He participated in theatre performances staged by Teatr.Doc about torture. These performances were based on the documented testimonies of the Network case defendants. He was imprisoned twice and recognised as a political prisoner. Socrates passed away on September 1st, 2020, due to injuries sustained in a fight unrelated to politics.