Ukrainians are still the main force behind anti-war protests abroad
Originally published on Global Voices
Ukrainian freedom march in Berlin. Photo by Global Voices
February 24, 2024 marks the 365th day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, following a previous one in 2014. Around that date, several groups of Russians living abroad have gathered and demonstrated publicly to state their full support to Ukraine, and their rejection of Putin's imperialistic and authoritarian ideology.
When Moscow annexed parts of Eastern Ukraine and Crimea in 2014, there was little protest in Russia and among Russians living abroad. Following the 2022 invasion, things have changed significantly. Inside Russia, the government is keen to display a show of unity rallying behind Putin: On February 23rd, buses brought around 100,000 people to the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow to take place in a massive political meeting and music show in support of what is still called a “special Military Operation” in Russia. Yet in the course of 2022, there were only 18 days when no one was actually arrested for protesting the war inside Russia.
The main difference, though, can be seen abroad. Several oppositional organizations, along with groups of individuals have called for public action to unite, and to join Ukrainians and their supporters around the date of February 24. This includes the Free Russia Foundation, a US-based group acting for democracy in Russia:
We, Russians, demand the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory! Let us show the world that Russians publicly condemn the actions of the Russian government. Wherever you may be, join the anti-war protest in your city on Feb 24! pic.twitter.com/bjVTE4y7Yc
— Free Russia Foundation 4freerussia.org (@4freerussia_org) February 22, 2023
Many others also launched similar calls. For example, the daughter of murdered opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, Zhanna Nemtsova, posted that she was going to a protest in Lisbon, and called for every Russian abroad to join Ukrainians.
Завтра и в выходные по всему миру пройдут акции против российского вторжения в Украину. Я считаю, что надо выходить. Все формы солидарности с украинцами кроме массового уличного протеста невидимы 1/4 pic.twitter.com/23MzgCcV4Z
— Zhanna Nemtsova (@ZhannaNemtsova) February 23, 2023
Tomorrow and over the weekend, protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine will take place around the world. I think we should go out. Except for mass street protest, all other forms of solidarity with Ukrainians remain invisible 1/4 pic.twitter.com/23MzgCcV4Z
— Zhanna Nemtsova (@ZhannaNemtsova) February 23, 2023
The Anti-Corruption Foundation, also based in the US, and associated with Alexey Navalny, a key political opponent to Putin leader currently imprisoned in Russia, launched a similar call:
Russians all over the world organize anti-war rallies!
Find your city on the list and join: https://t.co/jLrBREv51m 1/2 pic.twitter.com/Jf7JixPksn
— The Anti-Corruption Foundation (@ACF_int) February 23, 2023
The calls were heard and turned into small and larger street events in over 100 locations around the world, including Berlin and Prague were Global Voices went to observe the events.
Berlin: united from the start
Screen shot from the Facebook page of the event
In Berlin, the Ukrainian freedom march gathered over ten thousand people and ended traditionally at the Brandenburg Tor, marching in front of the Russian Embassy located on the Unter den Linden avenue.
Ukrainians, Germans, as well as Russians and people of other nationalities joined and marched together.
Here is a billboard in Russian shown at the Berlin demonstration that reads: “Russian Mothers: Overthrow Putin!”
Photo by Daria Dergacheva, used with permission.
Prague: one degree of separation
Prague is an important center for three communities all affected in different ways by the war: Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians.
Ukrainians have traditionally lived in former Czechoslovakia as one of the recognized minorities since the establishment of the country in 1918, where they accounted for nearly 5 percent of the total population in the east. After the Czech republic was established in 1993, Ukrainians moved in mostly for economic reasons. In 2021, the Ukrainian community, which includes workers, mostly in the service and construction industries, but also students, medical staff, and wealthy investors, was estimated nearing 200,000 people. After February 24, 2022, many Ukrainians were given shelter in the Czech Republic – an estimated half-a-million live now in the country.
The Russian migration dates from 1917 when subjects of the Russian Empire who opposed the Bolshevik Revolution sought refuge across Europe. In then Czechoslovakia, the government launched a special program, called Ruská pomocná akce [Russian Help Program] that provided refugee status and support for schools, and universities in Russian, but also in Ukrainian and Belarusian. After WWI and particularly after the 1968 invasion by Warsaw Pact armies, the number of Soviet soldiers and their families – who were of many ethnicities including Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian- stationed in Czechoslovakia was estimated over 110,000 . A new group of Russians started migrating in the mid 1990s, including businesspeople, students, but also over the years, opponents to Putin's government. Today there are an estimated 100,000 Russians – some with Czech or other citizenships – living in the Czech Republic.
Outdoor exhibition on Republic Square in Prague showcasing independent Russian support to Ukraine. Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
Belarusians, present from 1917, have also started moving in the mid-1990s and today represent a mixed community of IT specialists, students, opponents to president Lukashenka and wealthy investors estimated to number at least 4,000 people and is probably much larger in reality.
The sometimes overlapping but mostly divergent history of those three groups in the Czech Republic is probably one of the reasons why on February 24, 2023, Ukrainians and Russians started their demonstration separately.
On the Russian side, the Prague-based Russian Anti-War Committee organized an exhibition in the center of the city, on Republic Square, to showcase the work of Russian volunteers supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians. These initiatives include collection of funds and humanitarian help, free Czech classes for Ukrainian refugees, support in finding jobs in the Czech Republic, programs for children.
Outdoor exhibition on Republic Square in Prague showcasing independent Russian support to Ukraine. Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
Anton Litvin, a key figure in the anti-Putin movement among Prague-based Russians gave an opening speech under the white-blue-white flag symbolizing an anti-Putin Russia to a crowd of around 100 people, and invited several leaders of the community to speak about their work and motivations
Some of the recurrent themes of the speeches revealed the anxiety of many Russians who live abroad, oppose Putin and support Ukraine: a deep sense of guilt and shame of being Russian or speaking Russian, the moral obligation to no longer remain silent, the sense of gratitude towards Czech society and authorities, the therapeutic impact of providing help, and more importantly, the need to self-decolonize and be extremely mindful of respecting Ukrainian feelings. Many also acknowledged their position of privilege in comparison to those opposing their government inside Russia, where any public demonstration of anti-Putin or anti-war sentiment is immediately severely punished.
After the meeting, Litvin proposed to join the Ukrainian-led demonstration in nearby Wenceslas Square on an individual basis. He also requested everyone to remove all protest signs in Russian, including the white-blue-white flag to respect Ukrainian feelings. Indeed many Ukrainians accuse Russians, including today's opponents of Putin, of having remained largely silent after the 2014 invasion, and thus declare any Russian presence as unacceptable, including at meetings in support of Ukraine.
For more about the white-blue-white flag, read For Russians living abroad and denouncing Ukraine's invasion, a new flag symbolizes opposition to Putin.
The white-blue-white flag is the only flag used by anti-Putin Russians on Republic Square in Prague. Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
At the main demonstration organized by Ukrainians on Wenceslas Square, other flags were rolled out, such as the anti-Lukashenka white-red-white flag.
The Belarusian white-red-white flag is the symbol of anti-Lukashenka opposition and was widely present at the pro-Ukraine demonstration on Wenceslas Square in Prague. Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
And a mix of Ukrainian and Czech flags as well.
Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
This billboard summarizes the attitude of many Czechs supporting Ukraine: it reads “when the last Ukrainian soldier falls, Putin will come to get you.”
Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
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