Marchotov Crisis

In 1943, Andre Marchotov, the then-president of the UPRZ, was kidnapped, beaten and shot. The assassin, Mislav Bešić, was an associate with the Legija, a Rovsnoski nationalist militia, and was hung a few days later without trial. This sparked nationwide outrage and almost ignited into a civil war between the Rovsnoski and Zaporizhians. However, this was successfully prevented due to a declaration of, which was utilised as a mechanism to swiftly and brutally repress all opposition. The chaos caused by the unrest and massive military failures against the Federation of Gradinska would also pull the UPRZ out of the Białemorze Conflict.

Background
After their victory against the Vojiskiy Empire and Republic of Rovsnoska during the Vojiskiy War, the Rovski-Zaporizhian Revolutionary Army, under Vladimir Kurchatov, would create the United Provinces of Rovsnoska and Zaporizhia. Many issues would plague the UPRZ at its creation, most notably the citizens of Krevnigrad and various other southern ethnically Rovsnoski cities remaining in favor of the past Republic of Rovsnoska and the underground Legija anti-communist militia.

When Minister of Interior Andre Marchotov became President of the UPRZ after the death of Kurchatov in January 6, 1943, and soon a mass purge of possible enemies began. Church officials, military leadership, political opposition, and ethnic minorities were tried, tortured, and served as slave laborers on collective farms during the purges of Kurchatov. The collectivization of farmers crops would begin to escalate as well as the harshness of industrial worker conditions. During the reign of Kurchatov Rovsnoski nationalists would be under extreme pressure, even owning a Rovsnoski flag could get you sent to a labor camp. The Legija would become much more secretive and violent during the new regime, with MSSC agents around every corner. More limits on freedom of speech and congregation would also be implemented.

Social Unrest
On September 9, 1943 students of the National Academy in Krevnigrad began a protest of around 20,000 people of the restrictions of free speech implemented by Marchotov, involvement in the Białemorze Conflict, state atheism and harsh working conditions. The protesters rallied around the statue of the Rovsnoski national hero, Taryinchi Pripyat I, in Union Square. Pro-reformists and local industrial workers would soon join in.

Soon the protests would take a more nationalistic approach with The Rovsnoski National and nationalistic poems being read to the crowd. The protesters would also break out into Rovsnoska Izned Svega, March of the Legija, The Deathly Fields, and other various patriotic songs banned by the UPRZ. By late that afternoon the protesters at the Union Square crossed the Azeeri River to meet up with protesters at the United Provincial Communist Party Headquarters. The demonstration would swell to around 200,000 people, and would continue to remain relatively peaceful. Soon the protesters came up with fifteen demands, the legalization of religion, absolute freedom of speech, more autonomy for the Rovsnoski people, and various other reforms.

Miroslav Perak, the secretary of the United Provincial Communist Party, and President Khrushchev condemning the protesters and refusing their demands. Enraged by Perak and Khrushchev's refusal of the demands the protesters tore down a 30-foot statue of Vladimir Kurchatov and put in its place the flag of the Kingdom of Rovskemlja. The protesters also began burning flags of the UPRZ.