2001 – October 31, 2018
Mikhail Zhlobitsky aka Valerian Panov was a teenage anarchist who died in a bold explosive attack against Russia’s Federal Security Service, the ministry which has kidnapped and tortured many anarchists (and many others).
The Russian anarchist project “Anarchy Today” memorialized him as follows:
October 31, 2018 8:52 local time in the city of Arkhangelsk at the entrance to the reception room of the Regional Directorate of the FSB of the Russian Federation in the Arkhangelsk Region an explosion was heard. The rebel anarchist Mikhail Vasilievich Zhlobitsky, also known in the Telegram channel as Valerian Panov, blew himself up. This is the first case of anarchists undermining the FSB in 19 years – the previous attack was organized in 1999 against the reception office of the FSB in Moscow by the New Revolutionary Alternative organization.
Mikhail Zhlobitsky died as a result of a self-detonation, causing injuries of varying severity to three FSB officers. He was 17 years old.
A few minutes before the explosion, the anarchist left a message in the chat group under the nickname Valerian Panov. Here is what he wrote:
Comrades, now in the FSB building in Arkhangelsk there will be a terrorist attack, the responsibility for which I claim. The reasons are clear to you. Since FSB fabricates cases and tortures people, I decided to go for it. Most likely, I will die because of the explosion, because I initiate the bomb directly by pressing the button attached to the bomb cover. Therefore, you are requested to spread information about the terrorist attack: who committed it and the reasons.
Well, that seems to be all. I wish you to go towards our goal unswervingly and uncompromisingly. I am wishing you the future of anarchist communism!
We bow our heads before the heroism of our comrade. We were not acquainted live, but through communication he left an impression of himself as an intelligent and well-prepared person who is not indifferent and aspires to go beyond the swamp of the official opposition struggle, which is now mainstream.
There is no doubt that Mikhail acted purposefully, understood his motives crystally and consciously sacrificed himself during the action. It is impossible to read the stories of our comrades about the nightmarish torture in the dungeons of the Gestapo-FSB without the heart bleeding and without being overwhelmed with a thirst for revenge for sadists in uniform. When a feeling of indignation and a desire for justice fills up the cup of patience, when internal moral conflict becomes intolerable for an honest person, then concern for their own welfare retreats before deciding to call the scoundrels to account. Anarchists often did this in the past, rushing into a suicide attack on a tyrant and executioner.
Michael showed composure and endurance of a true revolutionary. We are deeply shocked, full of grief from the heroic death of Michael and deeply saddened that he did not leave any hope for himself.
We accept Michael as he is, and express our full solidarity and respect for his Act. He lived as he thought was right, and died, like a hero, in the struggle for the ideals of Freedom and Justice.
Death to the Federal Collision of the Infinites!
Long live the Anarchy!
Eternal memory to Mikhail Zhlobitsky! Rest in peace, dear comrade.
In a later interview, the group characterized the effect of his heroism:
The attack of the hero Mikhail Zhlobitsky, in addition to revenge on the FSB, was also a gesture towards the anarchists, remembering one of his last messages on social networks, where he wrote: “What are you waiting for?” These words were addressed to comrades who did not give an adequate response to the violence of the security forces…
A young and selfless comrade, he sacrificed himself for the sake of terrorizing those who terrorize the people and for each of us to think about our purpose and role in this uncompromising and fierce struggle against power and capital. Mikhail is in our hearts and memory forever!
The bomb not only damaged the building, but also injured three FSB officers (they may have died, their fate has not been made public), it also destroyed the last barrier that kept the population from taking action – fear of the KGB-FSB. Here it is necessary to make an important remark, in Russian tradition there is respect for heroic self-sacrifice, for such an act people begin to treat seriously the person who have made a self-sacrifice and to those ideas which he carried, and Michael’s ideas about anarcho-communism (before death he wrote exactly so) almost perfectly coincided with anarchy and atheism in the Internet. On the Internet, Mikhail was almost immediately recognized as a national hero, there he was called a true patriot (nationalist part), and a vigilante (the bulk of the people), and just a hero among anarchists. People stopped being afraid of arrests, repressions and any threats from the state in general, and the aggression of the state began to cause not fear, but anger. From that moment on, the “social storm” finally shaped itself in the form of calls for general self-governance (making all decisions only through people’s assemblies and referendums), the liquidation of the state and the removal of all officials from their posts, as well as the exacerbation of all social conflicts to a degree, after which a revolution or civil war could erupt.
A review of actions from the 325 Project (link is to archive) shows Mikhail’s memory is carried on over the world.