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Nashi (Russian: 'Молодежное движение «Наши»', 'Youth Movement \"Ours!\"') is a government-funded youth movement in Russia. [1] It positions itself as a democratic anti-fascist movement. Its creation was encouraged by senior figures in the Russian Presidental administration [2], and by late 2007, it grew in size to some 120,000 members aged between 17 and 25.

The organization is seen by most Russian liberals as Russian President Vladimir Putin's version of the Soviet Komsomol. Some commentators in the West have likened it to the Hitler Youth. [3][4] Sergei Markov, a Kremlin adviser, stated in 2005 that Nashi \"[wants] Russia to be a modern, strong and free country... their ideology is clear: it is modernization of the country and preservation of its sovereignty with that.\"[5]

Nationalist Movements

The Kremlin could also encourage various nationalist movements to pressure U.S. businesses, through either consumer boycott campaigns or direct attacks. The wave of nationalism inside Russia is still growing, and the government has no plans or desire to rein it in. Various nationalist groups — particularly groups like the Nashi and Pobeda youth groups — could therefore be used indirectly as tools to pressure U.S. businesses inside Russia.

The larger Nashi group is a Kremlin-controlled youth group with a membership of between 100,000 and 150,000. Most Nashi organized activities have to date targeted — with very little violent events — foreign political representatives, such as embassies, diplomats and international organization offices, although individual members of the Nashi have taken matters further. It would not be a stretch for the Nashi to reorient its activities from the political and diplomatic targets to the more business-oriented. Members could easily make it very difficult for consumers to frequent Western businesses by conducting activities like protests and sit-ins outside restaurants and stores, and they could start boycotts of Western products.

Whenever the United States makes a political move against Russia the safety of Americans and American symbols inside of Russia are at risk. Therefore, there could be a shift in how American and Western companies brand themselves, with much less emphasis being placed on their country of origin.

McDonalds is the prime example of this nationalist outburst — not altogether surprising, as McDonalds is a target for anti-U.S. sentiment from France to the Middle East. Its restaurants were most recently targeted in February 2007 in St. Petersburg, although attacks were seen during the Kosovo War in 1999. It is not clear if the most recent attack was the work of nationalist groups, but the rise of targeted attacks against U.S. businesses is certainly something that cannot be discounted. Whether their actions come as directives from the Kremlin or not, U.S. companies doing business in Russia should take nationalist groups into account.

Analysis

The Russian resurgence showcased by Moscow’s intervention in Georgia on Aug. 8, combined with the potential U.S. responses to Russia’s actions, could put U.S. companies operating in Russia and countries supportive of Russia (Belarus, Armenia, eastern Ukraine and potentially some Central Asian countries) at some risk of being targeted by the Kremlin and associated groups as a Cold War mentality begins to resurface in U.S.-Russian relations. Unlike during the Cold War, significant numbers of U.S. companies are operating in Russia today, representing an easy target for possible retaliation should U.S.-Russian tensions increase.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. and Western businesses rushed into Russia in the early 1990s. Russia offered a virgin market with plenty of opportunities, great infrastructure — compared to most undeveloped markets — and a starved pool of consumers looking to enjoy their newfound liberty by exercising their freedom to consume. However, from the very start life has been hard for U.S. and Western businesses in Russia. From the beginning of the hectic privatization period, Russian industry was broken, decaying and divided up by former politicians, organized criminals and various oligarchs. Thus, running a business in Russia means learning to navigate the often indiscernible links between government, organized crime and business rivals — and the Kremlin can make this as easy or hard as it likes.

The tactics that the Kremlin could use against Western and particularly U.S. businesses could range from overt uses of government power — such as actions by the Federal Security Service (FSB) or regulatory agencies and the judiciary — to less obvious strategies such as using the powerful Russian organized crime network or nationalist groups. Russian oligarchs and businessmen could also use Russia’s anti-Western mood to go after their Western competition.

\"I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward
and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a
sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best
interests of his country. And I appreciated so very much the frank
dialogue.

There was no kind of diplomatic chit-chat, trying to throw each other
off balance. There was a straightforward dialogue. And that's the
beginning of a very constructive relationship. I wouldn't have invited
him to my ranch if I didn't trust him.