"[2] Described as an "elite organization" by American Foreign Policy magazine,[3] Strategy-31 was initiated by Eduard Limonov, founder of the National Bolshevik Party and one of the leaders of The Other Russia coalition.

Every one of the Strategy-31 actions since it commenced has been refused permission by the authorities on the grounds that other activities were planned to take place on Triumfalnaya Square at the same time on the respective dates.

[4] Each of the Strategy-31 actions was dispersed by regular and riot police and accompanied by large-scale detentions of participants and passers-by.

The action attracted a strong public and international response on December 31, 2009, when among dozens of other participants the police grabbed and detained the Chairperson of the Moscow Helsinki Group Lyudmila Alexeyeva (84).

The President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and the US National Security Council expressed their outrage at the detention of the prominent human rights activist,[5] while The New York Times devoted its front page to an article about this protest action.