The Fork in the Road

[Nentsia]

''We, the People! We want - Our Country! Down with the Queen! Down with the Queen!'' chanted Vasyl Nazarenka in a megaphone, leader of the Nentsian Communist Party at the square that had been occupied for weeks now. It was a somewhat ironic sight that the leading man of the so-called ''fake opposition'', political parties that sort of criticized the system but always voted in support of the government, Vasyl Nazarenka was now speaking at the demonstrations in Nentsian. But he was welcome as an ally nevertheless: this was a broad, national movement, and it welcomed anyone to join them in the opposition against Vynnychuk.

The movement had begun to organize itself: the demonstrations were initially started by underground networks of young activists, collectively known as Pahonia. As soon as their militants planned a series of demonstrations in the major cities of the country, the only remaining opposition party, the ''Endechya'' (referring to National-Democratic Party), mobilized its cadres to help fill up the streets. A digital campaign was quickly set up on social media by underground hackers' collectives to quickly spread the news of the protests, but above all, spreading the news that fuelled the anger among the population: Ksenia Vynnychuk's appointment as vice-president. While the authorities tried to cover up negative news and remained silent on tv about the protest marches, young Nentsian social media agitators spread the fire of revolution. Only this time, even the parents followed their children to the squares to demonstrate against the endemic corruption, and the looming threat of Aliaksei Vynnychuk handing over the country to his daughter behind the population's back. The people realized that this was a step too far. Before long, many people joined the bandwagon, expressing their resentment over a wide number of issues and problems. But everyone shared the same conclusion: the current government is no longer fit to adress the problems of the country. Time for change.

Vasyl Nazarenka smelled his chance now that the government seemed weak and the demonstrators seemed to hold firm for once. He casually began to show sympathy for the movement and expressed criticism at the government, before finally calling for a ''Revolyutsiya'' and making demands for ''popular sovereignty'' and ''economic justice''.

The standoff between the authorities and the population in the cities however, was beginning to work in favor of the regime. Ksenia Vynnychuk was now de facto in charge of the country as her father had given her the keys, while battling cancer himself. She at first saw the demonstrations as a major threat, but was now getting used to the nation's main squares being occupied. Vynnychuk didn't hide herself, and visited classical ballet performances, attended a reception party by the Severyanian ambassador, and gave a speech at a business conference organized by the largest export companies of Nentsia.

In the meantime, the UGB, the security service, was working round the clock to find out which persons were attending the demonstrations. They had installed radio equipment in the buildings surrounding the squares, and drove around with mobile electronic units - black minivans in which antennae, radio's and interceptors were placed to intercept all telephone calls in the squares. The intercepted telephone numbers were quickly connected to persons through the databases of telecommunication companies. Companies whose employees hadn't showed up for several weeks were instructed to fire these absentees, because their recent absence was an indication they were among the protesters. The internet and social media were also closely monitored by UGB agents, and they even hired hackers to disrupt websites, and they searched through intercepted internet traffic. When crucial leaders and organizers of the movement had been exposed, UGB agents threatened to arrest or murder their families. Others who had attended the demonstrations but had gone home eventually, were reportedly kidnapped by the UGB for several days, only to return with black and blue faces. It all served the purpose of identifying the enemies the state, then isolating them, and then using whatever means was necessary to ''demoralize'' the target.

The demonstration leaders knew that time was not on their side. Something had to happen. It was therefore that they welcomed Vasyl Nazarenka to their movement, and gave him a stage. He was a symbol, saying to the allies of the Vynnychuk regime: look at Nazarenka; you can now still defect to our side, and become the hero... The Opposition knew the tricks of the UGB, of undermining and sabotage. And they practised the same strategy against the regime: fuel division, increase its weakness.