MOSCOW — More than 850 people have been arrested during anti-war demonstrations in numerous Russian cities against the invasion of neighboring Ukraine, according to civil rights activists.
The civil rights portal OVD-Info registered protests in about 44 Russian cities by Thursday evening — despite a ban on demonstrations and threats of harsh punishments.
In the Russian capital Moscow, about 1,000 people chanted “No to war!” in the central Pushkin Square. Many Russians feel a close bond with Ukrainians, often having family ties.
Many protesters had tears in their eyes in the face of the invasion of Ukraine ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
These were the largest protests since early last year, when Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was arrested in Moscow after returning from Germany.
Navalny had narrowly survived an attack with the chemical agent Novichok in Russia and had then been treated in Germany. He blames Putin for the attack.
“I am against war,” said the Putin opponent imprisoned in a penal camp, who faces 15 years in prison in a controversial new trial. The attack on Ukraine was fratricide and criminal, he said.
“The Kremlin gang unleashed it so they can keep stealing. They kill to steal,” he stressed in court on Thursday.
OVD-Info published photos on the social network Telegram of people holding up placards declaring solidarity with Ukraine, alone or in smaller groups.
Eyewitnesses to the rally in Moscow showed dpa videos of the violent actions by uniformed security forces against the demonstrators. Some were beaten for no reason.
Russian authorities had previously issued an urgent warning against protests and threatened arrests.