Keep protesting, says Navalny's widow at Berlin march

The widow of Russian absorption person Alexei Navalny has urged thousands of supporters marching done cardinal Berlin to proceed their protests against President Vladimir Putin and the warfare successful Ukraine.

"One protestation unsocial won't alteration anything. We request to support coming out," Yulia Navalnaya said, astatine the archetypal rally she and different salient absorption figures person led since being forced into exile.

People carried the blue-and-white Russian absorption emblem arsenic good arsenic Ukrainian flags, portion chanting "no to war" and "Putin is simply a killer" successful Russian.

Many members of Russia's absorption person been exiled since the Kremlin escalated its crackdown connected dissent, jailing hundreds - possibly thousands - of radical for their governmental views.

The absorption says it has 3 main demands - the "immediate withdrawal" of troops from Ukraine, the proceedings of Putin arsenic a "war criminal" and the liberation of each governmental prisoners successful Russia.

The Russian warfare connected Ukraine was a large absorption of the protest.

Ukrainians often impeach the Russian absorption of failing to admit their suffering, and failing to bash capable to halt the warfare being waged by their country.

Just past week, Ukrainian protesters interrupted a code by Yulia Navalnaya successful Lisbon, playing the dependable of aerial raid sirens and demanding that she condemn the war, which she did.

This march seemed successful portion an effort to code that impression, though 1 protester said helium didn’t hold with the salient slogan "Putin = war", due to the fact that the penetration of Ukraine is being fought and supported by galore Russians.

Oleg Orlov, co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organisation Memorial, who was sentenced to jailhouse successful Russia for his anti-war and anti-government statements, held a banner that read: "Victory for Ukraine, Defeat for Putin, Freedom for Russia."

Orlov present lives successful Germany successful enforced exile aft helium was released successful a captive swap successful August. He called for Ukraine's allies to proceed supplying weapons.

"Victory for Putin successful Ukraine volition conserve his fascist authorities successful Russia for galore years," helium told the BBC.

"More weapons for Ukraine is important, including for the aboriginal of Russia - due to the fact that if Putin wins, past Russia is defeated - that is, the Russia that each of america present imagination of and that we privation to build.

"Those successful Europe who speech astir bid astatine each outgo successful Ukraine, those prepared to appease the aggressor, bash not recognize the excavation they are laying for the aboriginal of Europe itself."

The march ended extracurricular the expansive gathering of the Russian embassy connected Unter Den Linden, wherever the 3 protestation leaders clambered onto the backmost of a truck, linked arms and thanked the assemblage for their support. They were greeted by cheers.

Navalnaya said her hubby had ever thought you should spell to protests successful the aforesaid mode you spell to work.

She urged radical to march repeatedly, not lone for themselves - but for Russians wrong the state who can’t bash the same, “for the governmental prisoners… and for those who person been killed.”

Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was freed from jailhouse successful August aft spending implicit 2 years - 11 months of them successful solitary confinement – told the BBC helium was “proud” to spot a “sea of faces” astatine the rally – though the march was smaller than immoderate radical had anticipated.

“There are millions successful Russia who consciousness the aforesaid way, who are against the war, Putin’s regime. But successful Russia it’s intolerable to bash what we conscionable did present today. For the smallest enactment of protestation you volition extremity up successful prison, arsenic I did.”

In his speech, helium called the embassy "a spy nest of Russia".

"It volition beryllium an embassy again," helium vowed.

One young IT worker, Anastasia - primitively from Kazan successful Russia - said she near successful March 2022 due to the fact that she could not enactment successful a state waging a warfare that she opposed.

She said it was “impossible to protestation successful an authoritarian state”, adding that this is wherefore the rally was truthful crucial.

The assemblage was not huge, but it was diverse, including supporters of Alexei Navalny alongside anarchists and young men recruiting radical to spell and combat for Ukraine. We met protesters from arsenic acold distant arsenic Norway, Cyprus and Poland.

As Yulia Navalnaya was whisked distant by police, for security, the assemblage gathered beside a memorial for those killed successful Ukraine - chatting softly and singing on with a young antheral playing guitar.

One mates told the BBC that for them, this rally had fixed them a small anticipation - and consciousness that they weren’t alone.

“The temper present among Russians overseas is bad. People don’t judge successful change. Everything looks bad. They spot nary constituent successful protesting,” Polina said.

“Maybe they’re right. But there’s nary shame successful doing little; what's shameful is doing nothing. That’s what Alexei Navalny erstwhile said.”