Police in Russia have detained more than 1,000 people during demonstrations yesterday in a number of cities across the country. This was announced by the ATS-Info organization, which monitors the arrests of people in Russia for political reasons, Reuters reported.
In the early hours of the day, Russia’s armed forces launched a large-scale combat operation by land, sea and air against Ukraine. Protests against these Russian actions have taken place in 47 cities in Russia. More than half of those arrested in Russia today were detained during a demonstration in Pushkin Square in central Moscow, adds AFP.
Russian authorities today promised to take action against all unauthorized protests in the country against the war in Ukraine, AFP reported.
The Interior Ministry, the prosecutor’s office and the investigation have warned Russians not to hold protests.
The Investigative Committee stressed that participants in clashes or rallies related to the “tense foreign policy situation” could be the subject of criminal prosecution. “We remind you that appeals to participate and the very participation in such unauthorized actions lead to severe legal consequences,” the warning reads.
The prosecutor’s office, for its part, said it had issued warnings to those urging them to take part in protests against the war in Ukraine.
The interior ministry warned that such gatherings would be unauthorized and police “will take all necessary measures to ensure public order”.
Social media accounts have called for anti-war protests in Moscow and St. Petersburg tonight.
Protests against Russian actions in Ukraine have taken place in various parts of the world, from Berlin and Paris to Warsaw and Istanbul, AFP reports. There were protests in Beirut, Tokyo, in Australian cities, the agency said, adding that there had also been a demonstration in Sofia in which hundreds of protesters had gathered in front of the Russian embassy, ​​according to the French news agency.
