Evening Monday 16th, 26 years old Ivan Khutorskoy aka Vanya-Kostolom was shot dead at the entrance of his house. This name is not well-known among general public, but he was a colossal figure among Russian antifascists and left activists. First of all he is known as one of informal leaders of youth antifascist movement, and one of founders of R.A.S.H. (Red and Anarchist skinheads) – community of skinheads-antifascists adhering to the left political views. It’s obvious for the most of his friends that the murder has been committed by Russian neo-nazi.
Ivan Hutorskoy was born in Moscow on 17 February 1983. By the age of eleven, he was driven by punk-rock, and this subculture of rebels had engulfed him and set the direction which he followed all life long.
It was late 1999, when antifascist ideas entered his head. It was time when Vanya had his first fist fights with Nazis at the concerts of Distemper, Schlus and Spitfire. Many nazist dregs came then to every rock concert, ska punk especially. They shouted their slogans, raised hands in nazi salutation, insulted and beat those who came to enjoy music. It used to be normal then, but Vanya decided to put an end to all this, and accompanied by his friends he kicked the nazi s***** out. Largely, it his merit that nowadays, ten years later, it has become possible to visit rock concerts without fear that drunken Nazis would come and spoil everything.
Vanya was very strong, physically and morally. He graduated a department of law with excellent marks. He mastered his skills and achieved good results in arm-wrestling and sambo (self-defense without weapons). He made friends easily being a center of attraction for many people. Vanya has never skulked behind others and personally proved that Nazis could be and should be defeated. His strength and formidability have won him a nickname Kostolom or Butcher. This awesome nickname reflected the fear of Nazis. None of them would ever wanted to cross his path. Nevertheless, his friends shall confirm his sincere benevolence. With all his indisputable authority among antifascists, Ivan has never put himself above others – this is another strong feature of his character. Anybody could approach him. He treated all people without prejudice, irrespective of their nationality, race or tastes. Vanya was openhearted with everybody.
In the beginning of 2004 Vanya became a skinhead. He understood that it was time to move ahead and bring struggle against fascism beyond concert platforms because Nazism in Russia will not disappear by itself. The skinhead subculture seemed to him more serious for further combat and self-expression, and its left wing R.A.S.H. looked most appropriate for realization of his belief. Approximately at the same time Vanya becomes Straight edge supporter: he completely refuses alcohol. Psychotropic substances have always been unacceptable to him.
He was ruthless to enemies, but he never used weapons believing that victory must be fair.
Nazis were afraid of him. They hated him and tried to kill him more than once. They attacked from behind and cut his back with a knife. But nobody has ever attempted to approach him in the street and put things straight openly. There is no such a Nazi in Moscow who would dare.
Recently Vanya ensured safety of various actions. Him was often invited to protect concerts, meetings, sport competitions, etc. When Vanja got down to business, all had a confidence that all will be as it should be. He was supporter of the family. His father died last year and Vanja had to provide his family financially. He worked in Juvenile State Abandonment, Crime, Drugs Use and AIDS Prevention Center named ‘Street children’. His colleagues recommend him as a disciplined intellectual.
He feared nobody. When his photos and home address appeared on many fascist sites, there was not a trace of change in his behavior, he treated it as all skinheads do: nothing unusual. His credo was to be himself up to the end. Unfortunately, friends could not convince him to move to a safe place... Murderers have apparently taken him unaware, for they did not hope to win in a hand-to-hand fight and had chosen “the ultimate guarantee” — a pistol.
Rest in peace!
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