of its leaders. Smirnov, a former member of the Left Opposition also led a Trotskyist group at the time, which was taken down by Soviet Authorities in late 1932. After the end of the group, Sedov remarked that "the ties with the workers have been preserved." The Zinovievists Zinovievist was term applied to those who followed the views of Grigori Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev, who had themselves publicly repudiated opposition activity. Trotsky's letters do not make it clear how many or who of their followers joined. The Rightist group Rightist was a term used in the USSR to define those who followed Nikolai Bukharin's pro-NEP stance. In Trotsky's letters, it was clearly stated that "the rightists" had joined the bloc, none of which were named. Trotskyist historian Pierre Broué stated that there was no evidence that Bukharin or his close allies like Rykov or Tomsky were participating in any opposition at the time. The term was most likely referring to the Ryutin group, an oppositionist group in the Soviet Union which supported Bukharin's economic views, but criticized him for capitulating to Stalin. Their platform openly called for "the liquidation of the dictatorship of Stalin and his clique" and also advocated for the return of all expelled party members, including Trotsky. The Liberals The liberals were a group who were having contact with Trotsky at the time. One remark by Trotsky shows they were extremely important allies: “Even in a modest way, they have given us more than anyone on a ‘practical’ line, to be sure, and not politically.” Other letters do not explain what the "liberals" had given to the trotskyists, nor who any of their members were. Broué suggests they were moderate bureaucrats who were led by Sergei Kirov, because of his alleged moderate position against Stalin. J. Arch Getty argues that Kirov was no moderate. He points to the claims of Grigori Tokaev, who was a member of the underground opposition, who said Kirov ruthlessly repressed the opposition and was 'the first executioner'. Trotsky himself called Kirov 'an unscrupulus dictator'. Getty also mentioned that in Kirov's speeches, he ridiculized the opposition and even questioned their humanity. No historian who analysed the bloc has concluded with certainty who 'the liberals' were. Other opposition groups Other groups were also mentioned: the Eismont group, the Sten–Lominadze group, and the Safar(ov)–Tarkhan group, but not much is known about them except their mention