"Welcome to Russia." "That's how cold it is - look." "This programme contains strong language and scenes which some viewers may find upsetting." "Growing up as a kid in the '80s in London," "Russia was painted as this weird big baddie." "Now with Vladimir Putin well into his third term as president, it's starting to feel like that again." "Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine..." "Vladimir Putin has ignored the dark warnings from the West." "There's going to have to be a very different relationship between Britain and Russia." "The West has imposed tough sanctions against Russia..." "Russia is responsible for the violence." "...and relations are the frostiest since the Cold War." "So I'm here to find out why so many young people are rallying around the flag." "In Moscow, nationalism is on the march." "'And led by a president busy flexing his muscles on the world stage...'" "Literally rings with Putin's face on, that's incredible." "'.." "Russian pride is at an all-time high.'" "But there's a darker side to Russian nationalism - much darker." "I think I'm the only black man in Red Square right now!" "I've gained unique access to some of Russia's most high-profile ultra-nationalists to discover what some young people think it means to be a true Russian..." "This one... is a masterpiece." "...and to find out what happens when you love your country too much." "I've come to Moscow, the second biggest city in Europe and the political heart of Russia." "When you think of Russia you sort of imagine snow, cold, big fluffy hats." "I was expecting the cold, but when you feel it, you realise what the cold actually is!" "Relations between the Kremlin and the West are at their worst since the collapse of the Iron Curtain." "Economic sanctions have hit the economy hard, and anti-Western feeling is high." "But despite all this, here in Russia, Putin has an almost 90% approval rating, making him one of the most popular leaders in the world." "Not entirely sure if I'd pick a Putin mug." "There's even Putin Russia dolls - look at that!" "And many young people are finding their voice, rallying around the president and the flag as a way of fighting back against the West." "Every garment has a political message." "The fashion show is hosted by Set, a movement of young creatives who are using their unique talents to showcase Russia on the world stage." "And yes, that is Putin's face plastered on almost every garment." "The place is packed with trendy young hipsters, but they're here for politics as well as fashion." "Set are one of the fastest growing youth organisations in Russia, and their propaganda is making politics cool." "I've been invited back to their head office in the centre of the city, and I'm keen to find out more about them." " Hello." " Hello." " Hey, how you doing?" "I'm Reg." "I was waiting for you, nice to meet you." " Nice to meet you, what's your name?" " My name is Anna." "Hello, Anna, lovely to meet you." "So this is your offices?" "Yes, this is Set." "I'm sure you will love it." "There seems to be quite a lot of pictures of Putin here." " Yeah." " Why is that?" "Because we love our government, and everything that is done is done right, and all of it is inspired by the new Russia." "The new Russia." "What's the new Russia then?" "It's the Russia with Putin in power, all people here are very patriotic, they love their country and they're proud of doing something which reflects the country's history, the country's values, and it is supported all round the country, also round the world." "Set has 11 offices in major cities across Russia, and thousands of young people have been recruited to their cause." "I take it you're a big fan of Putin?" "I mean, he's on your T-shirt." " Yeah." " Do you have a tattoo?" "Why is that I literally can't go five steps without seeing a picture of Putin in this office?" "Because he is our leader." "He is not a political construction like President Obama or David Cameron, Vladimir Putin thinks on another level." "Could you explain the images here of Putin with animals?" "Why are there so many pictures of him with animals all in one place?" "To me, the way they portray Putin seems pretty weird, it's almost like a form of worship." "But they seem to see him not just as a man, but as a concept, used to promote Russian strength and attitude." "This just gets weirder and weirder." "'There's even a card game where Putin is the hero." "'And guess who the baddies are.'" "Is that supposed to be David Cameron?" "I don't know if I believe that, but whatever." "In Russia, loving your country and your president is actively encouraged." "The views I'm hearing are fast becoming mainstream." "It seems as though there is this idea that he is a loved man by everybody in the country, even the animals, where does that idea come from?" "That's the reality, that's not the idea." "That's actually how it is." "Do you think it's strange that I'm surprised, or should I not be surprised?" "That's strange that you're surprised, cos I think it's normal." "It's amazing to see the facilities you've got, you've got plasmas everywhere, editing suites, photoshoots, it's amazing, but what is the real reason behind what it is you do?" "We have very interesting purposes of creating world leaders, and I think we're starting to succeed in it." "And do you think that world leaders will come out of this group?" "I'm sure." "I hope I will be one of them in the fashion industry." "Art and propaganda have always gone hand in hand in Russia." "But in the 21st century, it's not just traditional methods that young people are using to portray ideas." "Russians are more active on social media than almost any other country in the world, and today I'm crashing the photoshoot of a young nationalist who's using just that to spread her political agenda." "I don't know whether to..." "say hello or run away." "Each to their own." "Nationalists like 19-year-old Masha believe traditional Russian values are under threat." "Her day job is working for Putin's ruling party in Russia's parliament, and I'm wondering if that's where she borrowed her prop collection." "Ah, now I know quite a lot of people that work in fashion, and I can honestly say I've never seen one of these at a photoshoot!" "How does this fit into what you're shooting?" "Right, OK." "Well, are you going to change into something else then, get another outfit on?" "You've got to go for the gun." "Come on, let's get the camo on, love, let's go for it." "Brilliant." "This is a turn for the books, isn't it?" "I just didn't think there'd be bloody axes!" "And guns!" "Arr!" "But behind the cheesy props, there's a serious message." "Masha uses social media to promote her ideas of a stronger Russia to a worldwide audience, and has become something of an internet star." "She believes her images will unite Russians against the great enemy." "What made you start taking pictures of yourself in several different outfits and posting them on social networks?" "Masha hopes her online persona can start a movement to reunite all former republics of the Soviet Union into one country again." "So, essentially, you mean returning to the Soviet Union, is that what you mean?" "Despite what our governments might think," "Masha sees Putin's invasion of the Crimea and the support for Ukrainian rebels as steps towards returning Russia to its former glory." "When the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, one country became 15 separate states, and countries like Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan came into being." "But Russia's economy was always the strongest, and thousands of people, from the poorer new countries surrounding it, flooded in in search of work." "There's now around 11 million immigrants living in Russia, and just like everywhere else in the world, they're an easy scapegoat even though many once lived in the same country." "More than half of Russians now hold anti-immigration views, and police keep close tabs on anyone whose face doesn't fit." "I'm outside this busy rail station, and it's interesting, because there are quite a lot of police." "They're definitely making their presence felt, because they seem to only be stopping what are quite obviously immigrants." "Fuck." "There you go." "The last guy they picked up, he is now getting thrown in the back of the meatwagon." "It's really happening, and it's happening right here." "I'm getting a taste of what it might actually be like to be an immigrant here in Moscow." "But it's not just the police most immigrants are scared of." "After the Soviet Union collapsed, numerous ultra-nationalist groups sprung up to protect against what they saw as a foreign invasion." "And for years, this man, Dmitry Demushkin, has been at their centre." "He once led the Slavic Union, a group of over 25,000 neo-Nazis which Putin shut down for being TOO extreme." "He now leads another extreme nationalist group called, simply, The Russians." "They're taking to the streets tomorrow, and I want to be there." "One of their members has uploaded a video to rally the troops." "The guy's name is Vadim." "I've tracked him down, and after delicate negotiations, he's agreed to meet me on the march." "Vadim's my way into the group, and hopefully its leader Demushkin." "This march, on the face of it, it seems like I should be the last person attending!" "You know what I mean?" "I'm in the middle of Moscow," "I'm going to a march on nationalism, and I've got a feeling there aren't going to be many other black guys there with camera crews." "So I MIGHT stand out just a little bit." "I'm very aware that there is no way of knowing what I'm walking into, and that makes me feel uneasy." "It's the day of the march, and to be completely honest," "I'm not entirely sure what to expect." "Ten years ago, Putin himself started this march to celebrate Russian unity, but the ultra-nationalists quickly hijacked it." "They're marching in Lyublino, a working-class suburb in the south of the city and a nationalist heartland." "Wow." "You can see packs of people congregating in different places, it feels like we're right at the beginning of of it all." "Look at that." "Just across the street there are buses and buses full of coppers." "Look at that - packed." "In the past, the march has turned violent, so the authorities aren't taking any chances." "They've flooded the area with police." "And like at all public gatherings here, they're making EVERYONE walk through metal detectors." "Microphone." "I can't seem to find Vadim, but loads of people are taking an interest in me." "It seems like every time I turn around, there's a different camera in my face." "Either it's a photographer or one of these professional-looking news crews." "Then a young journalist tells me why." "My face is all over Russian social media." "Oh, really?" " Really." " What are they saying, can I see?" " One second." " Apparently I've gone viral." "Lots of people on Twitter are talking about the stupid black guy!" " Let's have a look." " No, no, no." " There's a picture of me here." " What are they saying?" " That you're a brave man." "You look worried for me." "A little bit." "The demonstration is magnet for many different groups, but they all have one thing in common - a belief in Russian supremacy." "Suddenly being in the mix just changes things massively, the dynamic is really different, because you can really feel and hear just how passionate people are." "There's a massive pack of young guys in the centre of the march, they all seem to be covering their faces now." "'The atmosphere's changing fast, 'and I need to find Vadim as quickly as possible." "'He's my only contact with these extremists, 'and I've got a feeling I might need his protection." "'Then, suddenly, I spot him.'" "I'm pretty sure that's Vadim over there." " Vadim?" "Hello." " Hello." " Whoa, that was Viking-like." "How are you doing?" " Fine, thanks." "Already it seems as though lots of people are taking an interest in myself, cos, quite obviously, I'm not from Russia." "How do you think I'm going to be received today?" " That's it." " You sure?" "You sure about that?" "You don't seem so sure!" "You're not so sure." "You're not so sure." "'I'm sticking to Vadim like glue, 'and he agrees to take me into the heart of the march." "'But then I see Dmitry Demushkin, the nationalist leader, 'and it seems he's just as eager to talk to me.'" "How is your health?" "Are you doing fine?" "My health is good, I'm alive and well and being look after." "What did he say?" " Calm environment, nobody's going to..." " Oh, right, OK." "I think I've become part of the broadcast and part of the march suddenly, as well." "We're, as you can see, surrounded by cameras, and Dmitry has decided to make a point of the fact that I'm here, because me being here says that this is a friendly march." "Well, this has taken a massive turn, I, erm suddenly feel really uncomfortable." "We've been hijacked." "'It's dawned on me why they've come here." "'Demushkin's keen to get into mainstream politics." "'Social media is such an effective propaganda tool, being seen with 'a black guy is going to do wonders for the illusion of tolerance.'" " Vadim, how's it going?" " Fine." "What are you doing?" "Are you taking pictures and putting them online?" "Did you think that he was going to try and get me on camera then?" "If Vadim wants me here to show how tolerant nationalists are, it's clear the message hasn't got through to everyone." "The fascist side of this nationalist pack is coming out." "The most scary thing about it is just how young they are." "They're walking through an incredibly residential area, and if you are an immigrant staying in one of these flats, how does that make you feel?" "How part of this country do you feel?" "How safe do you feel?" "Obviously not nice comments." "Obviously not nice comments - something about bananas." "Wow." "If these signs are anything to go by, it's all to do with Asian men and women, and Islam." "Because they've basically got a three-headed monster made up of what looks like Islamic men." "It's just ridiculous!" "Fucking hell..." "So there's another column here, and those flags actually really..." "really look like swastikas." " Do you mind being on camera?" " .." "Talk to you?" " Yeah." "What you want?" "What you want to know?" "OK, what's your reason for being here today?" "You can answer in Russian." "Shall we get going?" "Let's catch up." "White power!" "Jesus." "After about two hours, the march comes to an end, and the crowds quickly break up." "Around 20 people have been arrested for expressing extreme right-wing views." "The rest return to their everyday lives." "Not far from where the march finished, is a place where many of the extreme nationalists like to hang out." "Dmitry and Vadim have asked me to meet them at this little, well, it looks like a community centre really." "I don't know exactly what we're walking into, but he's demanded that I join them and that I..." ""have a chat" with them here." "There's Vad." "You all right?" "How are you doing?" " Hello." " Where's Dmitry?" "Is he inside?" " Er, I think he was inside." "Oh, right." "Are you joining us?" "Cheers, Vad." "Hey, there he is." "How are you doing?" "Dmitry says he's changed since his days in the Slavic Union." "He's got mainstream political ambitions and is keen to show a softer side." "On the march that you got organised, I heard people chanting." ""Russia for Russians" and "Keep Russia white", were you aware of that sort of chant happening?" "So what's your point of view on the way that the country's being run then?" "Vadim, why are you filming?" "Just because it's rather interesting for our viewers." "It's funny, during the march you made a point of my presence by sort of showing me off to the press, why was that?" "You do realise I'm not African-American, don't you?" "No, Afro-English?" "I'm British." "Yeah?" "Why did you think I was African-American?" "Glad I could help." "Vadim, it seems you've already put up that video of our conversation." "Oh, that was just a private message, I didn't show that on, eh..." " So you've not put it on Facebook?" " No, no." " Are you sure?" "Pretty sure I saw you put it on Russian Facebook." "So what exactly does it mean to be a nationalist today then?" "And who are your people exactly?" "It's been a long and stressful day." "I'm not sure what to make of Demushkin, but meeting him has only strengthened my determination to find out more about his extreme form of nationalism." "Most of the 11 million immigrants living in Russia are from the Muslim republics of Central Asia, which used to be part of the old Soviet Union." "These are the people Demushkin has a real problem with." "I've arranged to meet Omar." "He runs a popular blog detailing many of the issues that immigrants like him have to deal with living in Russia." "So why's it the migrants and not Russian natives making these incredible buildings that are changing the face of Moscow?" "Although immigrants from these countries don't need visas to come here, they do need work permits, but more than four million don't have these and are working illegally." "So on a site like this then, how many people would be illegal versus the people that have the right to be here?" "Russia has the second-largest immigrant population in the world and this is causing huge resentment among many native Russians." "'Omar wants me to meet Ibrahim.'" " Reggie." " Hello, nice to meet you." "Reggie." "Ibrahim, nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you." "Do you want to get something to drink?" "Great." "'He came to Russia from Uzbekistan in 2009, hoping for a better life." "'Instead, he was brutally attacked by extreme nationalists.'" "Why... why do you think they attacked you?" "What was their reason?" "What was their motivation?" "There's no reliable figures on how many migrants are attacked as most go unreported." "But online, ultra-nationalist groups share trophy videos on social media sites, showcasing their absolute hatred for anyone who isn't Russian." "I've arranged to meet members of one of the most notorious of these gangs, Restrukt." " Hello." "Alexis?" " Alexei." " How are you doing?" "Reggie." "Nice to meet you." "Lisa?" " Hello, yes." " Hello, good to meet you both." "Shall we, um...?" " Let's go." "So, how old are you guys, then?" "17, 24." " So you're quite young." " Yeah." "I'm a bit surprised at your age that you're so sure about how you feel in terms of nationalism, et cetera." " I mean..." " Mm-hm." "Is that common for people of your age?" "Were you, at 17, just as confident about your views?" "For Alexei and Lisa, nationalism is not just a mind-set, it's a way of life - including what they wear." "Surrounded by nationalist symbolism, and even allusions to nazism, it's scary that people so young want to be part of this family." "Alex, I exercise, and when I take my coat off, I don't look like you." "Fair enough." "So how exactly did this all begin for you?" "Where did these feelings come from?" "Why is it so important to you, then, to be proud of being Russian, be proud of where you're from?" "What would you like Russia to be like, then?" "What's your Russian future, if you were given the choice?" "Well, not everyone is exactly comfortable with your point of view." "Have you ever got in trouble for your views?" "You're not allowed to leave Russia?" "That night, Alexei and Lisa invite me to a boxing match organised by their nationalist friends." "But what they stand for is really playing on my mind." "It's really loud in there." "I can barely hear." "A little earlier on, you spoke about your dream Russia being white, being nationalist and people being proud of traditional values." "Um... if you were to move to another country, do you think you'll be able to live in a place that feels quite the opposite of that?" "My grandfather's an Englishman, he's a white guy, and my family have been mixing for generations, blacks and whites." "So does that make me a mongrel, then?" "So my children are at risk of diseases and abnormalities?" "OK." "All right." "Well, um... shall we go back in and see if we can catch the fight?" "Do you know what?" "I'm going to pop outside, all right?" "I'm going to shoot off." "I don't think I could stay in there for much longer, if I'm totally honest." "That... ignorance was just making me..." "struggle with continuing to communicate with someone so backwards." "They're fighting for a Russia that they deem to be pure, and that isn't about lifestyle." "It's about colour." "Being in Russia is... to be really honest with you, tough, because... this is a place that isn't used to people that look like me." "And... it's really starting to wear on me." "The past few days have led me to a much darker version of nationalism than I expected." "And as one of Russia's most high-profile nationalists," "I feel I've got to challenge Demushkin on what I've seen." "But to get to him, I'm going to have to go through Vadim." " Are you all right?" " Huh?" " Are you all right?" " Yeah, I'm good." "You've been very quiet for the last 20 minutes or so." "I was never... noisy, or something." " Come on." " That's us?" "'They've used ME." "Now I'm going to use them." "'Even if it means spending more time with someone I don't trust.'" " Be my guest." " Thank you." "Come on." " That's it." " This is your room?" " Yeah." "I see." "Holy cow, what's all this here?" "That's my little hobby." "It's more than a little one!" "Let me put my gloves down." "In fact, I should probably put my gloves on so I don't leave any prints." "You noticed knives." "You didn't notice this." " Holy shit." "Are they real guns?" " No, BBs." "Can you understand why I'd be really surprised that you have this many weapons?" "I mean, why do you need a butterfly knife?" " It's not butterfly." " What kind of knife is this?" "That is just a simple... pocket knife." " Nothing special." " Jesus." " Having so many knifes, to me..." " For EDC - everyday carrying " "I have much more... smaller knife." " So you have that in your pocket at all times?" " Every day." "You know, you wake up in the morning and... you get used to take shower or clean your teeth." "And I get used to..." "taking a knife with me." "I sit in the office and someone has a birthday, he brought... cake and someone has to slice it." "And the practice shows that among 15 men in my office - nobody has knife." "And they every time ask me, "Vadim, do you have knife?"" "I say, "What a stupid question, of course I have a knife!"" "That's it." "I think knives are one of the most beautiful human creations." "This one... is masterpiece." "It's completely legal in Russia and it's strong and... useful." "What would you use it for?" "This is best combat knife ever." "These knives, we are training in rubber..." " Training?" " Knife fight." "I am knife-fight instructor." " Don't be scared." " Right." "OK." "All right, so you collect these..." "and you train." "And have you ever had to use your knife in an emergency on the street?" "Never." "And even I had..." "I would never talk about it." "That's a forbidden question." "I'm sorry." " Forbidden where?" " Everywhere." "You have no right to ask for it and you must to ask... not to ask it." "So if you had used your knife," " you would never talk about it?" " Yes, of course." " Have you used your knife?" " Never." "In wrong cases, never." "Vadim has invited me to a club - a knife-fighting club - and we're meeting his mates in the metro." "It was only later I found out that Vadim was trying to censor his friends and keep a lid on what many obviously felt about me being there." "Vadim's just pissed off." "If I'd have known what he was saying at the time," "I'd have been far more wary about joining the fight club." "I'm nervous enough as it is, but then Demushkin shows up and it becomes clear he is the one leading the training." "Coming from London, where knife crime is such a problem, it's really shocking here that they're actually teaching kids how to use them." " What's your name?" " Gyorgy." " How old are you?" " 14." " Nice to meet you." "You're 14?" " Yeah." "Wow. 14." "I mean, you're much younger than I thought." "What's your reason for joining this class?" "Uh..." "Wow." "And was this guy an immigrant?" "You're going to go back?" "OK, thanks, nice to meet you." "There's a kid I just met" " who was 14 years old." " 14?" " Yeah." "What's the minimum age you can allow to join the club?" "Mm... 14 years old." "Why not?" "You want me up?" "Do I need this?" "Here we go." "And he's got his guy filming it for his website or YouTube or something." "Strongly..." " Grab stronger." " All right." "Have you ever been attacked before, then?" "And who was it that was attacking you?" "Five..." "Five of them." "And how did you survive that attack?" "They're only using rubber knives, but these guys look like they know exactly what it takes to inflict serious damage on someone, and with knife attacks on immigrants going up," "I can't help but feel this kind of training is doing nothing to make the situation any better." "But it's not just economic migrants who are in danger." "Francis, a political refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was welcomed by Russia but attacked simply because his face doesn't fit." " Hello." " Hello." " Hey" " Francis?" " Hey." "Pleasure to meet you." "How are you doing?" " I'm good, thank you." " Nice to meet you." " Can I just grab a seat here?" " Yeah, of course." "Sure." "So, what's the story?" "What happened, Francis?" "I was going to take the bus, going to go home, and I saw three guys and they called me, "Nigger..." "I came and I say, "My name is Francis." ""Don't call me nigger."" "He said it again, "Nigger, can I take a picture of you and my friend?"" "I said, "Please, my name is Francis." "Don't call me nigger."" "They took pictures and, um..." "after, they said to me," ""Nigger, come, come here."" "And they said to me, "Man, you are nigger, but you dress well."" "In that moment, he... he got a big knife." "A knife, like this." "He said to me, "Give me your coat."" "I said, "I can't, it's very cold." "Please... no."" "In that time, they begin to kick me." "That man were big, very big." "He put the sword to my body." "He opened, like a pig, my body." "I've got the scar, here till here." "And begin to kick me." "They kick me, they kick me." "I was..." "And I wake up at the hospital." "I'm so sorry to hear what you've, um..." "what you've experienced." "Why do you think that they have such an issue with immigrants such as yourself?" "I don't know." "We are the same, you see." "No difference, it's only in the colour of our skin." "We are also human being." "I don't understand nationalist peoples." "To hate immigrants..." "I don't understand that kind of behaviour." "Strange." "Very strange." "When you hear something like Francis' story and you've experienced the knife-fighting club like I have, there's a horrible connection between the two." "Dmitry is a man leading a whole heap of nationalist men and women." "And if it is extreme nationalists who are attacking people like Francis, if Dmitry isn't stopping it and stopping that kind of activity, he's... he's partly responsible." "I'm leaving Moscow tomorrow, but the extra time I've spent with Vadim's paid off." "Demushkin's agreed to meet for one final chat." "The knife-fighting part of what it means to be nationalist - in your eyes, anyway - seems to be quite a big thing." "It seems to be quite important to you and what you stand for." "I mean, you've got a knife on your T-shirt today, you lead this knife-fighting club as well and I've met immigrants who have been attacked by nationalists and... nearly died." "Ah..." "Regardless of what the immigrants are doing, you're essentially the head of the nationalist movement - you're a figurehead, you're a face for it." "Can you not see that there's some sort of responsibility that you should take?" "So do you think that you'll be the leader of the nationalists for ever?" "Is this something that you see yourself doing until you're an old man?" "All right." "Look, um... thank you for talking to me again." "All right." "Thank you very much, thank you." "Take care." "Thanks." "Nationalism has always been strong in Russia and the extremists only really occupy the fringes." "But now, with polls suggesting that around 80% of Muscovites favour the deportation of immigrant workers, this may be changing." "And with the far right gaining ground not just in Russia, but across Europe, what Demushkin stands for may worryingly become closer to the mainstream." "There is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of who you are and where you come from." "There's nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage and your culture." "I think the..." "I think the problem with nationalism is that there is a massive dark side to it." "There are a lot of people that I've met who aren't necessarily just proud of who they are, but they also feel that the land that they're from should belong to just them." "And what that is causing is a..." "a scary reaction to anybody that isn't Russian." "Tremors by SOHN." "♪ Flood lines we etched when we merged into one... ♪" "Next time I'm in St Petersburg to see what young gays face in a country where their sexuality is being outlawed." " If the law allowed it..." " Yeah, if the law allowed..." " ..what would he do?" " He would kill those people." "By stone, like the Bible." "Homosexuality is disgusting." "Homophobia is beautiful and natural." "♪ .." "Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago" "♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago" "♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago" "♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago" "♪ Vibrations of tremors that shook long ago. ♪"