Revolutionary Confederation of Anarcho-Syndicalists

RKAS was established at a founding conference held on October 15–16, 1994 in Donetsk, which was attended by representatives of the "Federation of Anarchists of Donbass" (FAD) from the cities of Donetsk, Makeyevka, Dobropillya, Lugansk, Kadyevka, Bryanka, Krasnodon, as well as some activists and groups from Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and others.

The Anarchy newspaper, founded in 1993 by the Federation of Anarchists of Donbass, became the central body of the RKAS.[1] In addition to the newspaper Anarchy, the RKAS began publishing the internal information-analytical bulletin Anarcho-Syndicalist in Russian and English, which was published from 1994 to 2002, and an information leaflet for the workers of Golos Truda, published by the RKAS Information Agency of the Labor Movement (distributed only in Donetsk in 1995–1996). Later, the list of publications was supplemented by the magazine "Rising Ukraine", and a number of publications of international sections: "Anarchy" in Georgian, "Black Rose" in Russian-Hebrew.

Unlike the other anarchist organizations in Ukraine at the time, the RKAS had a clear structure, introduced the practice of division of labor within the organization, resolved issues of internal discipline. Its principles were based on the popularly formulated provisions of revolutionary anarcho-communism, class struggle, with a focus on syndicalism. The charter of the RKAS was adopted when the Confederation was formed in 1994. The program, in turn, was approved after lengthy discussions in a general referendum in late 1998.

At the end of 1994 and the beginning of 1996, they participated in propaganda raids on enterprises in Donetsk and other cities of Donbass and also in a three-month hunger strike of miners in Horlivka. Representatives of the RKAS participated in trade union activists' meetings since 1996, and anarcho-syndicalist newspapers and leaflets were distributed with the direct assistance of the Pitmen's grassroots unions.

In 1998, RKAS activists established the first independent anarcho-syndicalist student union in a private university in Donetsk, the Independent Students' Union, to which RKAS members were elected. This union grew rapidly and by the spring of 1998 had several hundred members, covering the main faculties of universities. The anarcho-syndicalist leadership of the Independent Students' Union made attempts to unite with the "Independent Trade Union of Miners of Donbass" in order to strengthen trade union unity and effective struggle, but these efforts were not completed. The union lasted only a year and a half and was destroyed by the administration's repression.

Despite temporary setbacks in student unionism, the RKAS continued its activities among the working groups of Eastern Ukraine. During a miners' strike in Western Donbass, members of the RKAS were members of the strike committee that led the last major action of miners.[1] The black-and-red flag of the RKAS fluttered next to the blue-and-black flag of the mining movement at the head of a column of Luhansk miners marching on foot to Kyiv.

In addition to the mining movement, RKAS activists worked among machine builders in Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.[1] Attempts were made to agitate the inhabitants of rural areas, mainly in the East and South-East of Ukraine. At the end of the 1990s, RKAS sections appeared in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, and Kyiv.

In 1999, due to the downturn in the labor movement, the RKAS focused its efforts on organizing a youth anarcho-syndicalist movement. Young people joined the organization, who, in addition to promoting anarchism at enterprises, which had become traditional for the RKAS, organized new areas of cultural, political and militant activities. So RKAS created an anarchic rock band "Movement of Resistance" around which a revolutionary rock front was formed consisting of young musicians, poets and music groups. RKAS held a number of anarchist rock festivals: "Memory of Makhno" (1999), "Rock against the War in Chechnya" (2000), "Anarchic Rock Revolution" (2001) and others. The RKAS Cultural Youth Front became a means for promoting anarchist ideas and mobilizing young people into the organization.

At the same time, the RKAS organized Ukraine's first antifascist movement to counter the emerging far-right scene. First of all it concerned Donbass, although early clashes with the right took place with members of the RKAS in the late 90's in Dnepropetrovsk. In 2000, the RKAS conducted an anti-fascist patrol on May 9, in response to threats from the far-right to stage terror in the streets of Donetsk. At the same time, the Black Guard of the RKAS was organized, and regular trainings and clashes are held in the streets, organized by anarcho-syndicalist Black Guards. RKAS distributed anti-fascist leaflets, launching popular slogans: "Nazis - fuck off the beach!" and "We do not argue with the Nazis, we destroy the Nazis!"

The RKAS saw the anti-fascist struggle not only in street clashes with the right, but also in the broad involvement of public opinion and those interested in resisting the neo-Nazis. So RKAS leaflets and brochures were distributed in Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Kyiv and other cities. To work with the population, the RKAS registered a public organization, through which it conducted the legal part of the work. The culmination of this activity was the first open public anti-fascist action "Let there be no fascist music in our city!" which was widely covered by the media. The action was timed to the anniversary of the Nazi invasion on June 22, 2001. Thus, the RKAS can be considered the first anti-fascist organization in independent Ukraine.

RKAS delegations actively participated in international conferences held in Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany. Thanks to international contacts and friendly solidarity, the RKAS was able to conduct a number of joint tours to share experiences with anarcho-syndicalist and anti-fascist groups in Germany, to participate in a number of international trade union conferences and congresses. RKAS activists together with comrades from Europe organized actions to help victims of the war in Chechnya.

At the end of 2009, RKAS members took an active part in the labor, student, environmental, and anti-fascist movements. They organized and supported protests and demonstrations, promoting the principles and methods of anarchism.[2] At the initiative of the members of the confederation, the "General Confederation of Labor of Anarcho-Syndicalists" (VKT AS) was created.[1][3] Also, with the direct participation of RKAS representatives, an independent student union "Direct Action" was established in Ukraine and Georgia. A number of cooperatives were also established in Donetsk and Kyiv by RKAS members.

In 2014, in connection with the beginning of the war in Donbass, RKAS ceased to exist as a single organization.

Their main goal was to build a society on the principles of freedom, self-government, self-organization, solidarity and federalism. The association of people on such principles should become a solid foundation for the free and fullest development of each individual. RKAS adhered to and promoted such principles as: lack of power, freedom from coercion, freedom of association, mutual aid, diversity, equality and fraternity.

In their daily activities, members of RKAS saw the following areas of work:

• Anarchy newspaper (published since 1993)[1]
• body of the CPSU newspaper "Voice of Labor" (published since 2008)
• information-theoretical magazine "Anarcho-syndicalist" (1994-2002)
• youth magazine "Uprising Ukraine" (2001-2002)

In addition, the organization has published a number of brochures.