Defenders of Democracy in Russia

The 20th anniversary of the attempted Communist coup against Gorbachev's reforms, and the mass demonstrations that stopped it in its (tank-)tracks, weren't really much marked in Russia. In my discussion group, about half didn't even know about after the event.

One thing that did happen though was the erection of this monument to three young men who lost their lives in trying to prevent tanks from driving to the scene. They were run over by them. the monument is right above the tunnel where they died, itself on a busy street. I missed the opening (it's right by our flat) but apparently there was a big crowd and an Orthodox priest. Which in itself is a little strange, since the Orthodox Church is not always democracy's biggest supporter as I understand it.