Crisis: The Third Way

In 2035, the Ural operation to decommunize Moscow was drawing to a close. The 34th Regiment of the Ural Army, led by Zhuravlev, rebelled against the Ural government due to extremely poor supplies. During the mutiny, the regiment united with the Moscow army and marched to Uralgrad, breaking through Chelyabinsk.

Morality is a socially accepted system of ideas about good and bad, right and wrong, kindness and evil, as well as the set of behavioral norms that flow from these ideas. And fear prevents protesters from attacking when they're being shot at. When you're being shot at unarmed, you think about how to run away. The Ural Republic instills in people the idea of ​​Western democratic values, the idea that all people lived poorly during the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation, prohibiting any propaganda of national unity. The people listen, but there are cases when a person who witnessed the collapse of the Russian Federation now sees a "democracy" where you have to live under the government and suffer from not being in the secret services. This is why people go out to protest for a better future, but end up getting hit on the head with a truncheon and a prison sentence. The SSKP is forced to deal with these rallies, and ultimately, the fighters are forced to choose: either serve the president and the Supreme Senate, or take the path of protecting the people and rebel against them. Some fighters are simply at a crossroads: "What are we fighting for? Why are we beating our people?" The army may also consider its purpose, but this mainly depends on logistics and food problems. The "Greenists" are just neo-Nazis, they are hardened bandits who are loyal to the Urals and will beat up anyone who is against them. Examples of cases:

1. A SSKP fighter and his comrades participate in dispersing a rally, but something prevents him from beating the protesters, who are unable to even fight back.
2. The soldiers of the Ural army, who were marching on Moscow, felt a shortage of ammunition and food, because the government did not even think about delivering them, as a result of which they started a mutiny.
3. The man somehow learned that the entire Ural system depends on the persecution and intimidation of the opposition, as well as the luxurious life of the president and the Senate.
4. The SSKP brigade is ordered to open fire on the crowd during a large rally, but the sergeant, realizing the horror of this idea, decides to support the protesters.

All types of injuries are available, the chance of receiving which is now higher and depends on the user's actions. Now the user will have to monitor the situation more closely. The following injuries are permitted: bullets, stab wounds, blade wounds, explosions, tripwires, falls, blows, and fire. Explosions include shrapnel. The user must be proficient in self-aid. Bullets can be removed from the body with tweezers and the wound treated. Any wound can be treated with alcohol, vodka, or antiseptic, then covered with a bandage, gauze, or a clean cloth. Fractures are only considered a last resort, unless the user is clearly doing something to cause a fracture, such as jumping from a great height or being struck very hard with a blunt object. Fractures of fingers and hands are acceptable. Fractures are the most severe and are very difficult to treat alone, unless you apply a splint from improvised means. Internal and external bleeding is allowed. Severing limbs is unacceptable unless they are artificial; prosthetic limbs are permitted. Explosions stun, knock back, and injure people. Pain threshold also plays a role: the lower it is, the more painful a simple wound can be, while severe pain can lead to loss of consciousness. Blood loss also leads to loss of consciousness. A helmet protects the head from skull injuries, and if the helmet has a protective visor, the face is also protected. The bulletproof vest protects the torso from pistol bullet wounds and damage to the ribs on the front side. Elbow and knee pads will help prevent injuries from falls and collisions.

"Dear fellow citizens! I hasten to inform you that Western countries, represented by United Europe and the United States, have drawn us into a escalating global conflict. Amid the economic crisis, the West openly supports terrorist regimes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia near our borders in order to exert pressure on our country. These actions have one goal: to destroy Russia and other independent countries and maintain their dominant position in the world. The Russian Federation is forced to join the military bloc led by the People's Republic of China in order to present a united front to preserve the sovereign rights of our countries. Our armed forces are ready to defend our political and economic independence, protect civilians, and the territorial integrity of the state. But the enemy threatens us not only from abroad. Traitors and conspirators, befuddled by Western propaganda or simply bought off, lurk within our own country. They provoke citizens to commit anti-government protests under the beautiful but false slogans of freedom and peace. They call themselves the "Opposition" and "fighters for democratic values," but in reality, they are simply agents of Western intelligence agencies tasked with destroying our unity and driving us into conflict with our allies. Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation has pursued a course of peaceful coexistence with Western powers. Thanks to us, the end of the Cold War brought down the ideological barrier that had hindered mutually beneficial cooperation across the globe. However, the unipolar world built by the United States has not brought us the long-awaited peace. On the contrary, the consequences of their policies and the rejection of the opinions of other powers have plunged the planet into the abyss of conflicts and wars, where Russia has no choice but to defend itself from Western aggression. In this regard, I sincerely urge you to unite in this difficult time. After all, we have only one Motherland, and only by working together can we protect and preserve it for future generations. Take care of yourselves."

Buildings: Department of the SSKP, Supreme Senate building, train station, TV tower, Research Institute on Saint-East Street, city administration of the SGBU.

The Guardians of Independence of the Urals are the "Greenists." Greenists are rude and easily angered by symbols of imperialism and communism, whether the St. George ribbon or the hammer and sickle. Greenists often intimidate people and are used as a tool against the opposition. The SSKP and the army are essentially similar, as they both ensure security in the Urals. The SSKP controls the streets, while the army controls the territory. The SSKP must maintain order, while the army is simply soldiers going to war against the communists in Moscow. The opposition must agitate people against the Ural authorities, arguing that power belongs to oligarchs who are robbing them, and that democracy is a distant memory. The opposition can stage demonstrations. The Red Army—the communists who took up arms and overthrew the Moscow government back then. Communists usually take people prisoner instead of lynching them. The SSCP fighters who defected to the communists don't shoot immediately, but only ask them to lay down their arms. The Ural authorities don't care; they just have to smile for the camera, shout about the "Red Threat," intimidate the opposition, and talk about "prosperity in democracy."

The Ural State Security Service (USS) is a special service that monitors and controls various internal issues at a high level. They are a kind of elite in the world of order, to which the SSKP is subordinate (This is especially evident in the interrogations of SSKP fighters regarding their connections with the opposition). SSBU is very important for the Urals. The SSBU has various departments responsible for different areas of life (for example, anti-terrorism, which primarily deals with communists).

The Ural Republic is a new country on the map, formed after the collapse of the Russian Federation. Its goal was to erase from history the mention of the Soviet and imperialist past, as well as mass privatization and a course towards democracy. The Ural Republic awoke to Europe's sway, surrendering its warheads and becoming a "Basement of Democracy in the East." Now the Urals are fighting Siberia, China, and the communists. And to fight the communists within the country, certain measures are needed, such as raids, brutal dispersals of rallies, and persecution.

After the collapse of the Russian Federation, the Ural Republic declared independence, rejecting its Soviet and imperial past. Large-scale privatization, strict control, attempts to erase history and sucking up to Europe – all this infuriated ordinary people. Thus, oppositionists emerged who sometimes take to the streets with Russian and Soviet flags, calling for a return to the former unity. By order of the government, such marches must be brutally dispersed and the participants imprisoned. Some demonstrations:

1. A peaceful street rally—that day, people gathered with Russian and Soviet flags, shouting something about the terrible fascist regime and the return of the homeland. All the participants were beaten by Soviet Union (USSR) militants and thrown into police vans.
2. A large rally at the square—that day, people gathered in thick clothing, carrying flags, and began marching in tight formation, arm in arm. To somehow contain the demonstrators, it was necessary to resort not only to the SSKP but also to the police and the "Zelenysts" (Guardians of the Independence of the Urals). The Zelenysts formed a tight formation alongside SSKP fighters, facing the demonstrators. The demonstrators threw themselves at the SSKP shields, and the Zelenysts attacked them with their fists. As a result, the rally turned into a massacre, at which point the SSKP unit was cut off from the police. The remaining SSKP fighters lined up near the Supreme Senate building. However, the SSKP line was broken, and the protesters then approached the building with flags. Soon, machine guns and shotguns emerged from the Senate windows and quickly picked off the approaching protesters. The order was given for the KSKP fighters to flee the square, and within seconds, fire was opened on the crowd of protesters and the slow-moving KSKP fighters. Protesters fell dead, as did some of the fighters. As a result, the rally was suppressed, and the bodies were swept away somewhere.

Key characters: Valentin Galtsev is the President of the Urals. Pavel Isaev is the Supreme Senator of the Urals. Petr Feduleev is the main sponsor of Ural and an authority. Mamaev Aleksey Viktorovich - director of the research institute on Saintist Street, designed the Aggressor-D and blockers. Erden Karimov, a crime boss and influential figure, is switching to legitimate business. Zhuravlev is the commander of the 34th regiment of the Ural Army, who went over to Moscow's side. Komisarov is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Russia. Colonel Chirikov is a colonel of the SSBU.

Ural Forces:

1. Brigades of the SSKP.
2. Guardians of the Independence of the Urals (Zelenyists).
3. Army of the Urals.
4. State Security Service of the Urals (SSSU).
5. Volunteers from Europe.
6. Bandit authorities and prisoners (They do not trust the authorities, but also fight communism).

Forces of the communist movement:

1. Red Army.
2. Deserters of the SSKP.
3. Deserters of the Ural army.
4. People's militia.
5. Volunteers from Central Asia, Siberia and China.
6. Communists from other countries.

Communist literature—this literature includes not only the works of Marx and Engels, but also some writings by activists opposed to the democratic authorities. This literature was banned in the Urals, and anyone possessing a book with a hammer and sickle could be jailed. One such book is "Appeal to Compatriots," a widely distributed booklet with a red cover and a yellow star, often passed around. In this book, the communist movement and the Moscow government call on citizens of the former Russia to fight against corrupt democrats and other "fascists" in order to unite the lands and recreate the Russian Federation. This book also claims that communists are good and democrats are bad. All communist literature must be burned, and those who have it must be arrested.

The European Economic Cooperation—in short, a united Europe, a former pawn of the United States and the foundation of European countries and NATO. It survived the war and is now a relatively wealthy and developed state. Among its allies are the Ural Republic. The EEC is now a more developed state that supports democratic regimes around the world.

The Muscovite Republic—short for Moscow, or Russia. This republic was formed at the beginning of the war, when armed forces overthrew the Kremlin government and established a communist regime. Moscow became the capital of the new Russia, and the idea of ​​restoring the RSFSR. It is at odds with Europe and now opposes the Urals. The ideology now is communism.

China has remained virtually unchanged since the war, retaining its power and industry. It is an enemy of Europe and an ally of Russia.

Siberia is another republic that broke away after the war, but unlike the Ural Republic, Siberia retained memories of the past and did not accept liberal ideas. Now Siberia is in a confrontation with Uralgrad.

The "Caliphate" are Islamist terrorists who oppose all authority and anyone who is different. They may collaborate with radicals temporarily. They commit terrorist attacks in centralized states.

The communists disagree with the Ural policy and the idea that selling out to the West is a good thing. The Russian army is also communist, based in Moscow and the occupied territories, symbolized by red armbands. The policy of communists is work, unity and strength. The Urals population also includes a share of communists dissatisfied with the authorities, and they sometimes hold rallies and demonstrations that are brutally suppressed by the SSKP and the police. The symbols of the communists are the Russian flag and the flag of the USSR, as well as red armbands and St. George ribbons. The goals and ideas of the communists are to reunite all the lands of the Russian Federation into one and completely establish order. The Red (Moscow) Army is noble in itself; commanders can make concessions if they do not shoot people in order to avoid casualties. Famous people: Timofey Komissarov is the head of the Ural Labor Council. He fought for Russia during World War III, after which he founded the Communist Party in the Urals together with Anton Cherin. Komissarov maintains a calm demeanor under stress and is portrayed as an idealist and optimist.

"Aggressor-D" is a secret project developed at a research institute. "Aggressor" was developed after observing the RV-5 prion, which affects the body with unprecedented aggression. When activated, the "Aggressor" emits a special radiation that replaces the primary impulse signals in the implants with prion protection and increases susceptibility within a certain radius in all individuals. A special blocker is required for protection. Only the highest-ranking officials have access to this information. This device is located in an abandoned tower and, when activated, will be able to cover the entire Uralgrad area. It was designed for the event that the Uralgrad territory would be surrounded by the enemy, in which case the tower would be activated and everyone who hadn't activated the blockers would kill each other, except for the Ural elite, who would be sitting in a bunker with implants. A person exposed to the effect without a blocker begins to mutate, their appearance becomes more terrifying, their physical abilities become stronger, in other words, the person turns into a real beast. Blockers are small devices, similar to USB flash drives, that plug into the headphone jack. These devices completely suppress the effects of Agressor-D. There were projects in the Urals to create cyborgs by implanting a military implant into a test subject's head, but they were quickly shut down. However, not only did Europe continue this process, but they also asked the Urals to test the "Aggressor" system. In this case, the "cyborg" could become aggressive and capable of tearing people apart, but was still vulnerable to firearms. Such a "cyborg" poses a complete threat when the "Aggressor-D" system is activated; without a blocker, the "cyborg" will transform into a veritable monster with long claws and red pupils. Such a creature is difficult to kill, except with a shot to the eyes.

Prion disease, or RV-5, is a deadly virus that attacks the brain. After its discovery, everyone was given mandatory prion implants, and now the disease is not particularly dangerous. The head implants, thanks to a special impulse, block the spread of RV-5, an unusual type of prion that was born in areas where nuclear and biological weapons were used on a massive scale.

Implants are a new technology that was initially simply an "inhumanizing" augmentation, but was immediately introduced to all humans after the discovery of Prion Disease. The technology is implanted in the brain and eyes, making people a bit cyborg-like: the eyes can function as cameras (night vision, good vision, auto-aiming), and sleep requires a cable to be connected to an artificial skin patch on the temple. Normally, people's pupils glow bright blue, but for some reason, in people who fight aggressively, these pupils turn red (for example, when a KSKP fighter hits a person with a baton for too long). Implant abilities:

1. Night vision of the eyes.
2. Eye auto-aim.
3. Automatic translator in a hearing aid.
4. No risk of blindness.
5. Complete resistance to prion disease. From the outside, the person looks normal, but his pupils glow blue, and a small patch of artificial skin stands out slightly on his temple. VIPs have implants with more capabilities.

The Ural Independence Guards are volunteers, fighters, or, as the common people call them, fascists—volunteers looking to make money. In reality, they are radicals who will tear apart anyone who opposes the Urals. Symbols: green uniforms and berets, with a black sword emblem on their arm. Appearance: The uniform is swamp camouflage, a green beret on the head, a green armband with a white circle and a black sword in the middle. Their task: to protect the democratic regime of the Urals and destroy the trash in the form of communists and informal groups. Radical fascists. Mostly, the "greenists" are gangsters, young men, or prisoners who fell for the freebies, like, "Just participate and you'll get paid!" They behave brutally, even calling the special forces cops and thugs. "Greenists" are used as a tool or as a spare shield.

The Special Order Control Service (SOKP) is the state special forces agency of the Ural Republic, acting as the main security agency in the interests of the current government. The organization specializes in the violent suppression of large-scale protests and regularly conducts counterterrorism operations against criminal and terrorist groups. In a political crisis, the SOKP is a decisive force: it is capable of both guaranteeing the survival of the current regime and ensuring the success of the revolution should it defect to the rebels. The uniform is grey, with the inscription "ССКП" in Russian letters on the back. The set includes a bulletproof vest and a kaska-1 helmet. This special forces unit carries out raids on drug dealers, bandits, thieves and other criminals, as well as dissidents, communists and enemies of the current government. The SSKP consists of combat brigades sent out for a specific task. Appearance: Helmet, balaclava, grey uniform, bulletproof vest, pants, boots. In some cases, recruitment may be carried out into the SSC.

The Armed Forces of the Ural Republic—the Ural Army—comprises armored personnel carriers, tanks, and helicopters. The army's symbol is green armbands and helmets. The Ural Army emerged after the collapse of the Russian Federation, resulting in the disbandment of the Russian Armed Forces. Following the revolution in the Muscovite Republic, the Ural Government ordered the "Decommunization" operation in Moscow and the introduction of troops into Moscow-region territory. Although the initial offensive was successful, the Ural Army was stopped in the fighting near Moscow and was soon forced to retreat to pre-prepared areas. Following the disastrous battles near Moscow, dissatisfaction with the government's actions grew within the army, and soon the 34th Regiment, under the command of Colonel Zhuravlev, mutinied and sided with the Muscovite Republic. The Ural Army ensures independence. Armament: They use NATO and domestic weapons, including BTR-80, BRDM, T-80U, T-72, and T-90 armored vehicles, and UAVs are also used in combat. The Armed Forces of the Udmurt Republic primarily use older Russian/Soviet weapons, and in rare cases, they are supplied with European weapons. The army also has a dozen fighter jets in service and a working air defense system. The soldiers wear green uniforms and a 6ш117 unloading vest.

The Ural Republic or the Ural Republic is a new state formed in the Urals after the collapse of the Russian Federation. Its capital is Uralgrad (Yekaterinburg). President Valentin Galtsev. The state promotes Western and liberal ideas, supports Europe and democracy, and actively opposes Moscow and China. Structure of the Ural Republic: The president of the Urals is Valentin Galtsev. Before the collapse of Russia, he lived in France with his wife. After the collapse, he assumed control of the new Ural Republic. His rule was marked by corruption, mass privatization, and authoritarian methods to silence the opposition. Galtsev's government is also suspected of collaborating with criminal authorities. His government also uses the "Guardians of the Independence of the Urals," or simply "Zelenitsy," to suppress rallies, intimidate the opposition, and so on. After the revolution in the Moscow Republic, Galtsev ordered military operations to "decommunize" the new Moscow government. After completing his first term, Galtsev ran for president for a second term. During the new elections, Galtsev is accused of intimidating Patriotic Coalition voters and even attempting to assassinate opposition leaders Anton Cherin and Timofey Komissarov. During the revolution in Uralgrad, Valentin Galtsev was at the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) negotiating arms supplies for the Urals. Economically, Galtsev embodies Classical Liberalism and the Doctrine of Non-Intervention. Politically, he is more authoritarian and pragmatic, collaborating with criminals and nationalists to suppress the opposition. Pavel Isaev is an agitator, the chief senator of the Supreme Senate of the Urals and the leader of the Ural National Unity (UNU) party. The main ideology of the Urals is democracy, loyalty to Europe and the fight against communism and the former Russia. The Ministry of Internal Affairs also remained, in the form of the police and the SSKP. Form of government: Democracy, but it can still be called capitalism. The flag of the Urals is a white-green-black tricolor. Currency: Ural francs.

In December 2026, after tensions between Europe and the Russian Federation worsened, World War III began, drawing in all of Europe, Russia, China, and the United States. During the war, Russia evacuated people and soldiers from Belarus and Ukraine, at which point Russia and Europe activated nuclear missiles. Thanks to its air defenses, Russia withstood the strikes, but all of Eastern Europe (Belarus, part of Poland, and Ukraine) was destroyed and turned into a nuclear wasteland. Soon after, in 2027, the Russian Federation completely collapsed, forming the Moscow, Siberian, Far Eastern, and Ural republics. However, due to the appalling liberal policies in Moscow, the communists, with the help of bandits and the people, overthrew the "democrats" from power and seized the Kremlin. China supported the new government, and the Eurasian Economic Commission was unable to prevent this. Ural then launched an operation to decommunize Moscow, sending troops there. However, the operation failed and ended with the mutiny of the 34th Regiment. As a result, Eastern Europe was destroyed by nuclear missiles, the Russian Federation collapsed, prion disease was rampant across the planet, causing absolutely everyone to have brain and eye implants, and the planet's climate was changed, causing it to snow almost constantly. The US Empire collapsed and is now in the throes of civil war, and only China survived and recovered. The collapse of Russia included the overthrow of the government by the communists and the creation of the RSFSR, as well as the independence of the republics. Half of the common people meekly accepted the imposed fragmentation, but the other half did not.