Russia’s exiled opposition has marched in central Berlin to protest against President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.
Several thousand supporters joined the march, led by Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian prison in February. Navalny’s supporters say Putin was behind his death, which the Kremlin denies.
People carried the blue-and-white Russian opposition flag, as well as Ukrainian flags, while chanting “No war” and “Putin is a murderer” in Russian.
Members of Russia’s opposition have been exiled since the Kremlin stepped up its crackdown on dissent, with hundreds — perhaps thousands — jailed for their political views.
The opposition says it has three main demands – the “immediate withdrawal” of troops from Ukraine, the prosecution of Putin as a “war criminal” and the release of all political prisoners in Russia.
A major focus of the demonstration, which ended at the Russian embassy in Berlin, was Ukraine.
The Russian opposition has often been accused of failing to appreciate Ukrainian suffering, and of failing to do enough to stop the war ravaging their country.
Oleg Orlov, co-chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Memorial, who was jailed in Russia for anti-war and anti-government rhetoric, held a banner that read: “Victory to Ukraine, Putin’s”. Defeat, freedom. For Russia.”
After being released in a prisoner exchange in August, Orloff now lives in forced exile in Germany. He called on Ukraine’s allies to continue supplying weapons.
“Putin’s victory in Ukraine will preserve his fascist regime in Russia for many years,” he told the BBC.
“More weapons are important for Ukraine, including for Russia’s future – because if Putin wins, Russia loses – the Russia that we all here dream of and want to build.”
“Those in Europe who talk of peace at any price in Ukraine, who are ready to appease the aggressor, do not understand the danger they themselves are laying for the future of Europe.”
Speaking outside the Russian embassy, Vladimir Kara-Mirza, who was released in August after spending more than two years — 11 of them in solitary confinement — in prison in Russia, called the embassy “Russia. ‘s espionage nest’.
He added that it would be an embassy again.
A young IT worker, Anastasia – originally from Kazan, Russia – said she left in March 2022 because she could not live in a country she opposed.
“It is impossible to protest in an authoritarian state,” he said, adding that this was why the rally was so important.
