{"id":66946,"date":"2025-09-16T05:26:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T05:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/66946\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T05:26:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T05:26:09","slug":"only-rus-only-victory-russian-rapper-misha-mavashi-was-once-known-for-corny-tracks-about-healthy-living-now-his-right-wing-nationalist-movement-is-gaining-steam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/66946\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Only Rus, only victory!\u2019 Russian rapper Misha Mavashi was once known for corny tracks about healthy living. Now his right-wing nationalist movement is\u00a0gaining steam."},"content":{"rendered":"

Northern Man is\u00a0a\u00a0nationalist movement in\u00a0Russia founded by\u00a0rapper-turned-activist Misha Mavashi. Though it\u00a0emerged just three years ago, the group has already quietly attracted backing from regional and municipal authorities. Its ideology centers on\u00a0hostility toward foreign workers \u2014 a\u00a0position the Kremlin itself increasingly pushes<\/a> as\u00a0a\u00a0legitimate outlet for public discontent. Mavashi\u2019s organization is\u00a0quickly gaining momentum, especially among right-wing Russians disillusioned with the Orthodox-heavy rhetoric of\u00a0other nationalist groups like Russkaya Obshchina<\/a> (\u201cRussian Community\u201d). Meduza digs into why local officials are willing to\u00a0cooperate with Northern Man \u2014 and how this plays in\u00a0Moscow.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ll be\u00a0remembered\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of\u00a0Ukraine, Misha Mavashi was best known as\u00a0a\u00a0rapper whose lyrics promoted healthy living \u2014 an\u00a0unusual theme in\u00a0the genre, and one that earned him no\u00a0shortage of\u00a0mockery online.<\/p>\n

In\u00a02016, by\u00a0his own account<\/a>, he\u00a0\u201cfell into depression\u201d and developed a\u00a0drug habit. After overcoming his addiction, Mavashi left rap behind and founded an\u00a0alternative rock band, Mavashi Group, where he\u00a0now serves as\u00a0frontman.<\/p>\n

In\u00a02021, he\u00a0released the track 4 Ounces, a\u00a0song that appears to\u00a0trace his personal journey: its protagonist overcomes hardship through athletics, develops an\u00a0interest in\u00a0public life, and strives to\u00a0leave a\u00a0lasting mark.<\/p>\n

The steppe winds once knocked me\u00a0off my\u00a0feet,<\/p>\n

And the blizzard, humming, buried me\u00a0beneath the snow, my\u00a0friends.<\/p>\n

The rains carried me\u00a0in\u00a0torrents, dragging me\u00a0into the whirlpool \u2014<\/p>\n

And I\u00a0decided: I\u2019ll become a\u00a0force of\u00a0nature myself, and I\u2019ll be\u00a0remembered.<\/p>\n

One verse declares, \u201cEvery person is\u00a0a\u00a0human being, we\u00a0all remain human.\u201d However, within a\u00a0year, Mavashi founded Northern Man, a\u00a0right-wing nationalist platform that he\u00a0openly described as\u00a0\u201cethnicity-based.\u201d<\/p>\n

In\u00a02024, he\u00a0released a\u00a0new track, Russian Banner, which had a\u00a0dramatically different tone:<\/p>\n

Russian character, Russian hardcore \u2014<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t the crunch of\u00a0a\u00a0French baguette.<\/p>\n

Russian stronghold, Russian drive.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0Caucasian will get it\u00a0\u2014 a\u00a0[slur] won\u2019t.<\/p>\n

The borderlands are in\u00a0sin, gone astray.<\/p>\n

But that land grows on\u00a0Russian blood.<\/p>\n

\u2018No\u00a0point in\u00a0pushing against the machine\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mavashi has publicly vowed that Northern Man won\u2019t join Russia\u2019s political opposition. \u201cThere\u2019s no\u00a0point in\u00a0pushing against the [state] machine,\u201d he\u00a0said, noting that opponents of\u00a0the government \u201cmostly end up\u00a0in\u00a0jail.\u201d<\/p>\n

At\u00a0the same time, in\u00a0one of\u00a0his first video appeals<\/a> to\u00a0potential members, he\u00a0insisted he\u00a0had no\u00a0intention of\u00a0cozying up\u00a0to\u00a0the authorities either:<\/p>\n

If\u00a0Northern Man grows in\u00a0number \u2014 say, 2,000 people in\u00a0every city \u2014 and the ruling party comes to\u00a0me\u00a0and says, \u2018Mr. Mavashi, you\u2019ve already built up\u00a0an\u00a0electorate, it\u2019s time to\u00a0align with our agenda\u2026\u2019 If\u00a0I\u00a0see that 75 percent of\u00a0it\u00a0goes against my\u00a0convictions, I\u2019ll shut down the movement and stick to\u00a0writing songs.<\/p>\n

By\u00a02025, Northern Man had grown rapidly. Its Telegram channels drew tens of\u00a0thousands of\u00a0subscribers: 7,200\u00a0in Samara, 8,200\u00a0in Novosibirsk, 19,000\u00a0in St. Petersburg, and 41,500\u00a0in Moscow.<\/p>\n

Our only hope is\u00a0you.\u00a0Support Meduza<\/a>\u00a0before it\u2019s too late.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But despite Mavashi\u2019s assurances, the group has formed close ties with local governments in\u00a0several regions, even receiving public grants<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0its website, Northern Man aims to\u00a0\u201crevive and promote the values, traditions, and culture of\u00a0Russians and other Slavic peoples.\u201d However, regional channels frequently post inflammatory content accusing<\/a> foreign workers<\/a> of\u00a0\u201cliving off Russian welfare and taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Offline, the group organizes<\/a> basic military training, target practice, and tactical medicine workshops. In\u00a0early 2024, its members even joined<\/a> a\u00a0\u201craid\u201d on\u00a0migrant workers alongside security forces, though their exact role in\u00a0the operation remains unclear.<\/p>\n

As\u00a0his movement has gained prominence, Mavashi has increasingly weighed in\u00a0on\u00a0political affairs. He\u2019s criticized<\/a> pro-censorship activist Ekaterina Mizulina and pop singer Shaman for their high-budget PR\u00a0campaigns and \u201chypocrisy\u201d; praised Putin and the war in\u00a0Ukraine<\/a>; and lauded<\/a> Vologda Governor Georgy Filimonov (who\u2019s pushing for bans on\u00a0alcohol<\/a> and abortion<\/a>) \u2014 for his patriotism.<\/p>\n

Three officials working on\u00a0local government administrations\u2019 political teams told Meduza that the Kremlin has not issued clear instructions on\u00a0how to\u00a0interact with Northern Man at\u00a0the regional level. One of\u00a0them only learned there was a\u00a0Northern Man branch in\u00a0his region when asked about it\u00a0by\u00a0Meduza\u2019s correspondent.<\/p>\n

\u2018For the <\/strong>soccer hooligan crowd<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the start of\u00a0Moscow\u2019s full-scale war in\u00a0Ukraine, nationalist movements have been gaining<\/a> popularity across Russia, often while embracing state-sanctioned narratives like \u201cfighting migrants.\u201d The best known is\u00a0Russkaya Obshchina<\/a>, founded in\u00a02020. The group has close links to\u00a0the Orthodox Church; senior clergy have even recommended<\/a> that local church officials establish ties with its members.<\/p>\n

A nationwide vigilante network How police backing and holy blessings helped Russkaya Obshchina become Russia\u2019s largest far-right group<\/a>A nationwide vigilante network How police backing and holy blessings helped Russkaya Obshchina become Russia\u2019s largest far-right group<\/a><\/p>\n

In\u00a0some areas, Russkaya Obshchina members work with state security forces; in\u00a0others, they act as\u00a0vigilantes. In\u00a0spring 2025, its members kidnapped<\/a> and beat<\/a> a\u00a0teenager in\u00a0the Vladimir region. In\u00a0another case, an\u00a0Armenian man died<\/a> in\u00a0a\u00a0fire after trying to\u00a0defend himself from Russkaya Obshchina members who broke into his apartment.<\/p>\n

In\u00a02020, another nationalist movement appeared in\u00a0Russia: Future Society, founded by\u00a0politicians Roman Yuneman and Daniil Makhnitsky. The group claims<\/a> to\u00a0oppose the Russian authorities and political repression, but it\u00a0still supports the war in\u00a0Ukraine.<\/p>\n

One far-right observer summed up\u00a0the current ecosystem this way:<\/p>\n

Northern Man is\u00a0more for the soccer hooligan crowd \u2014 younger guys in\u00a0the \u201cright\u201d clothes. Future Society is\u00a0modern nationalism with intellectual pretensions. Russkaya Obshchina is\u00a0for the less-cool, old-school types.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0business owner in\u00a0Siberia explained why he\u00a0chose Northern Man:<\/p>\n

For me, like many, it\u00a0started with soccer culture: rooting for my\u00a0team, traveling to\u00a0matches. Then came the \u00a0As\u00a0I\u00a0got older, I\u00a0moved away from that. I\u00a0tried politics, got into business. Now I\u00a0feel a\u00a0need to\u00a0express my\u00a0views on\u00a0life more openly. And in\u00a0the time that\u2019s passed, the authorities managed to\u00a0break up\u00a0the independent movements of\u00a0the informal right-wing soccer fan scene.<\/p>\n

He\u00a0had no\u00a0desire to\u00a0join Russkaya Obshchina, which had become prominent among nationalists. \u201cI\u00a0took one look at\u00a0what they were doing and turned away immediately,\u201d he\u00a0said. At\u00a0the time, there were no\u00a0media reports linking the group to\u00a0criminal activity, but he\u00a0had heard \u201cother stories [about Russkaya Obshchina].\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, he\u2019d seen some unsettling coverage of\u00a0Northern Man in\u00a0the media. For example, in\u00a0the spring of\u00a02023, five teenagers from Perm filmed themselves hacking apart and burning an\u00a0icon, claiming it\u00a0was revenge against Orthodox Christians for the persecution of\u00a0pagans. Activists from Northern Man tracked down one of\u00a0the boys, gave him a\u00a0public beating, and forced him to\u00a0record an\u00a0apology<\/a> \u201cto\u00a0Orthodox people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later that summer, a\u00a0video of\u00a0a\u00a013-year-old boy of\u00a0Armenian descent fighting<\/a> with another child went viral. After Misha Mavashi highlighted the video to\u00a0his followers, Northern Man activists began sending<\/a> threats to\u00a0the boy and his family, according to\u00a0reporting<\/a> by\u00a07\u00d77.<\/p>\n

Sign up for\u00a0The\u00a0Beet<\/p>\n

Underreported\u00a0stories. Fresh\u00a0perspectives. From\u00a0Budapest to\u00a0Bishkek.<\/p>\n

Still, despite incidents like these, Northern Man struck the Siberian businessman as\u00a0\u201ccalmer\u201d than Russkaya Obshchina. \u201cThere weren\u2019t really any alternatives for me,\u201d he\u00a0told Meduza. \u201cSo\u00a0my\u00a0old buddies from the [far-right] movement and I\u00a0decided to\u00a0open a\u00a0local chapter in\u00a0our city. I\u00a0wouldn\u2019t say we\u00a0get any support from the authorities. But we\u2019re into sports, we\u00a0build workout areas, organize events. We\u00a0sing songs and hold literary gatherings. And, of\u00a0course, we\u00a0support the guys fighting in\u00a0the .\u201d<\/p>\n

An\u00a0office worker and Northern Man activist from Russia\u2019s Northwestern Federal District said the group was \u201cclosest to\u00a0the classic right-wing movement.\u201d \u201cWhat bothers me\u00a0about [Russian] Community isn\u2019t the fights \u2014\u00a0they\u2019re fine, part of\u00a0the scene. But the strict alignment with the Orthodox Church? That\u2019s not for me,\u201d he\u00a0explained, adding that he\u2019s personally interested in\u00a0paganism.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0war veteran who knows Misha Mavashi personally said he\u00a0believes the movement attracts people who are disillusioned with the \u201cethno-religious bent\u201d of\u00a0Russkaya Obshchina. \u201cIt\u2019s a\u00a0fairly narrow-minded stance, because Russians aren\u2019t just Orthodox \u2014\u00a0some are neo-pagans, atheists, even Muslims. That said, most of\u00a0the people joining Northern Man these days lean towards paganism.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Kremlin\u2019s new ultra-nationalists Extremism expert Alexander Verkhovksy explains how far-right groups bolster Russia\u2019s anti-migrant campaign and recruit war veterans into their ranks<\/a>The Kremlin\u2019s new ultra-nationalists Extremism expert Alexander Verkhovksy explains how far-right groups bolster Russia\u2019s anti-migrant campaign and recruit war veterans into their ranks<\/a>\u2018We\u00a0train as\u00a0families\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

All Northern Man chapters are required to\u00a0hold weekly training sessions and literary evenings. In\u00a0a\u00a02022 video<\/a>, Mavashi explained:<\/p>\n

We\u00a0train as\u00a0families. Boys with the men, girls with the women, all in\u00a0the same\u00a0gym. I\u00a0believe men should be\u00a0doing contact sports. Boys need to\u00a0see: here\u2019s my\u00a0dad, here are other men \u2014 I\u2019m one of\u00a0them.<\/p>\n

Each chapter\u2019s \u201cliterary club\u201d discusses books, plays music, and hosts guest speakers. Once per quarter, they\u2019re expected to\u00a0organize an\u00a0official event \u2014 ideally in\u00a0coordination with local authorities.<\/p>\n

Chapters are expected to\u00a0be\u00a0financially self-sufficient, meaning they shouldn\u2019t accept donations from strangers, in\u00a0order to\u00a0avoid being labeled \u201cforeign agents.\u201d However, contributions from sympathetic business owners who know members personally are welcome \u2014 as\u00a0is\u00a0building connections with local officials, in\u00a0case a\u00a0conflict arises.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0some regions, the movement has received direct support from the authorities. In\u00a0Chelyabinsk, Northern Man co-hosted official city events in\u00a0summer 2025, including Baptism of\u00a0Rus Day<\/a> and Family, Love, and Fidelity Day<\/a>. Mayor Aleksey Loshkin and Deputy Governor Margarita Pavlova both spoke at\u00a0the celebrations.<\/p>\n

Sign up for Meduza\u2019s daily newsletter<\/p>\n

A digest of Russia\u2019s investigative reports and news analysis. If it matters, we summarize it.<\/p>\n

Sources say the collaboration was Loshkin\u2019s initiative. One city council member told Meduza, \u201cHe\u00a0got into \u2018traditional values\u2019 \u2014 whether as\u00a0a\u00a0joke or\u00a0for political gain, no\u00a0one knows.\u201d Another local official claimed Loshkin is\u00a0\u201cgenuinely Orthodox,\u201d which may explain why Chelyabinsk\u2019s Northern Man chapter leans \u201cmore religious than others.\u201d<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Vladivostok, Mayor Konstantin Shestakov praised<\/a> Northern Man during the 2024 Pankration Cup, telling<\/a> the crowd: \u201cNorthern Man said the most important thing today: \u2018Only Rus, only victory!\u2019 Guys, without you, this event wouldn\u2019t have been nearly as\u00a0wonderful!\u201d<\/p>\n

A\u00a0source close to\u00a0Shestakov said the mayor is\u00a0mostly interested in\u00a0the athletic side of\u00a0the movement and distances himself from its nationalism.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Vologda, Governor Filimonov has promoted Northern Man since 2023, reposting<\/a> its materials and involving<\/a> the group in\u00a0his festival Sky of\u00a0the Slavs. Mavashi has called<\/a> Filimonov a\u00a0\u201cfriend and ally.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u00a0makes sense that he\u2019s into it,\u201d a\u00a0former colleague of\u00a0Filimonov said<\/a> about the governor\u2019s links to\u00a0Mavashi. \u201cSports, performance sobriety, Slavic identity \u2014\u00a0all of\u00a0Filimonov\u2019s favorite things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Nobody will question it\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Northern Man logo features a\u00a0shield bearing the image of\u00a0a\u00a0bearded warrior in\u00a0a\u00a0traditional bogatyr helmet. The movement has officially registered 26 regional branches, all set up\u00a0as\u00a0non-profit organizations. In\u00a02024, its Voronezh chapter received nearly 1 million rubles [$12,000] in\u00a0state funding for a\u00a0youth poetry competition<\/a>. In\u00a0Krasnodar, the city provided<\/a> a\u00a0basement space for the group, which members renovated themselves.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0political strategist who works with regional governments and candidates from United Russia, and who has the ability to\u00a0financially support initiatives like Northern Man, told Meduza he\u2019s been studying the group\u2019s development:<\/p>\n

I\u00a0can see that in\u00a0some regions, city<\/a> or\u00a0regional lawmakers<\/a> are supporting their local branches. Often, the sports facilities [Northern Man] uses aren\u2019t built with their own money. The help isn\u2019t advertised much, but the people who need to\u00a0know, know. It\u2019s convenient for those who have businesses in\u00a0construction, utilities, or\u00a0retail. And of\u00a0course, they need to\u00a0share the right beliefs. It\u2019s a\u00a0way for a\u00a0sponsor to\u00a0align with the patriotic agenda. Plus, they get a\u00a0campaigning network in\u00a0the form of\u00a0the movement\u2019s supporters \u2014\u00a0which comes in\u00a0handy during elections.<\/p>\n

\u2018The bureau\u2019s\u00a0niche project\u2019 Meduza reveals how the FSB gave rise to\u00a0wartime Russia\u2019s\u00a0most notorious far-right group<\/a>\u2018The bureau\u2019s\u00a0niche project\u2019 Meduza reveals how the FSB gave rise to\u00a0wartime Russia\u2019s\u00a0most notorious far-right group<\/a><\/p>\n

The war veteran who knows Misha Mavashi personally said he\u00a0wouldn\u2019t rule out the movement \u201ctrying to\u00a0put someone forward for the State Duma\u201d in\u00a0the 2026 elections. However, he\u00a0thinks it\u2019s more likely that Northern Man will support select candidates unaffiliated with the group \u2014\u00a0\u201cprimarily guys from the .\u201d<\/p>\n

A\u00a0Kremlin-connected political strategist described Northern Man as\u00a0a\u00a0\u201ctame option for patriots, including both businesspeople and ordinary guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Russkaya Obshchina ran into trouble \u2014\u00a0there were questions, problems with the authorities. Northern Man is\u00a0more flexible, more in\u00a0tune with the current climate: sports, sobriety, family values. So\u00a0a\u00a0governor or\u00a0mayor can take a\u00a0chapter under their wing on\u00a0the patriotic ticket, and nobody will question\u00a0it. For now.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0a\u00a0Meduza source, the Kremlin\u2019s political team, which oversees relations with public movements, is\u00a0\u201cbasically not working with Northern Man,\u201d adding: \u201cIf\u00a0they were, there\u2019d be\u00a0a\u00a0clear directive to\u00a0all regions: support them. Or\u00a0the opposite: shut them down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite this, the Siberian businessman involved in\u00a0the movement said he\u2019s worried about its long-term prospects. \u201cI\u2019m afraid it\u2019ll end the way it\u00a0always does. Sooner or\u00a0later, every right-wing initiative gets dismantled,\u201d he\u00a0told Meduza, adding that this is\u00a0because such groups are often deemed \u201ctoo independent,\u201d holding views that don\u2019t align with the Kremlin\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs\u00a0long as\u00a0we\u2019re on\u00a0the same page, things are fine,\u201d he\u00a0said. \u201cBut once the paths start to\u00a0diverge, that\u2019s when the fighting begins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Story<\/a> by\u00a0Andrey Pertsev<\/strong>, with assistance from other Meduza reporters<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Northern Man is\u00a0a\u00a0nationalist movement in\u00a0Russia founded by\u00a0rapper-turned-activist Misha Mavashi. Though it\u00a0emerged just three years ago, the group has…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66947,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[264],"tags":[18,117,19,17,337,1175,1170,1173,1162,1155,1167,1157,1168,1174,1163,1151,1158,1152,1160,1161,1153,1156,1154,1172,1166,1159,1171,1169,1165,1164],"class_list":{"0":"post-66946","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-eire","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-music","13":"tag-1175","14":"tag-1170","15":"tag-1173","16":"tag-1162","17":"tag-1155","18":"tag-1167","19":"tag-1157","20":"tag-1168","21":"tag-1174","22":"tag-1163","23":"tag-1151","24":"tag-1158","25":"tag-1152","26":"tag-1160","27":"tag-1161","28":"tag-1153","29":"tag-1156","30":"tag-1154","31":"tag-1172","32":"tag-1166","33":"tag-1159","34":"tag-1171","35":"tag-1169","36":"tag-1165","37":"tag-1164"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}