Berlin march: Russian opposition calls for troop withdrawal
A march was held in Berlin, organised by Russian opposition leaders Yulia Navalnaya, Ilia Yashin, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Participants in the march called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and demanded the prosecution of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the release of political prisoners. This was the first major, unified protest organised by the Russian opposition in exile, as reported by the BBC.
"I am very grateful that you came out and showed that Putin is not Russia. We are Russia! And we are against the war, against aggression, for a free, peaceful Russia!" said Ilia Yashin, as reported by Novaya Gazeta Europe.
Iulia Navalnaia, the wife of Alexei Navalny, thanked everyone who attended and mentioned that she was glad to see her friends Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza at the march.
"No to war! No to Putin! Putin is a criminal!" she chanted with the crowd.
Vladimir Kara-Murza took the floor and reminded the crowd that the war in Ukraine has been ongoing for ten years, and for the past three years—since the beginning of Russia's large-scale invasion—civilians have been dying there every day due to Moscow's actions.
"Kremlin propaganda does everything to make the world believe that all Russians support the war. Is that true?" he asked. "No!" the crowd shouted.
According to Novaya Gazeta Europe, a similar event, combined with a rally for Czech democracy, was held in Prague, where approximately a thousand people gathered in the square.
The rally lasted about an hour, with speeches delivered by politicians, including former Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová. The speakers discussed pro-Russian influence in EU elections.
Today, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
