Pussy Riot: Can You Fight With Paper Planes | Interview | Louisiana Channel

“I want to show things how they are.” Meet Maria (Masha) Alyokhina of the Russian activist movement Pussy Riot, who has been protesting against the regime of Vladimir Putin through public, colourful and non-violent actions for over a decade. “The system pretends to have a serious face. That’s how they want the fear to go inside you and paralyse you. And we believe that the smile and humour break this fear.” Maria Alyokhina describes today’s Russia as a totalitarian regime and the development since 2012 as “the road to hell”, reaching a low point with the attack against Ukraine in 2022. “Since the full-scale invasion, I believe the world should unite and protect Ukraine. The main focus now should be on them. I just cannot share all my emotions because it’s a constant shame. It’s a constant dark shame. I don’t want Putin to win Ukraine.” In the interview, Alyokhina also reflects on the role of the West in the years between Putin’s so-called re-election as President in 2012 and