The History of Development, Features and Current State of Russian Skinheads Movement

Introduction. The skinhead movement remains insufficiently today, although the need to study it is growing due to the increasing number of its members and their activity. At the same time, government agencies have no idea about the role of skinheads in Russia's domestic politics and their situation. The purpose of the study is to update information about the current state and development prospects of the skinhead movement in Russia. Materials and Methods. Since the object of research (the skinhead movement) is a specific semi-closed social group, the author uses primary sources (memoirs, samizdat magazines, skinhead manifestos), information from media resources and statistics from specialized analytical centers. The chronological method is used to illustrate the development of the object of research. Results. The tendency to politicize the activities of skinheads and the transition of the conflict between nazi-skinheads and antifa-skinheads from the cultural sphere to the political one are revealed. Discussion and Conclusion. This research provides insight into the life and activity of Russian skinheads, and reveals the need for further study of skinheads and their activities as political actors, their full integration into the political system. The research is of particular interest to the study of Russia's domestic politics, youth movements, radical organizations, and deviant groups in society.