People have gathered around the world to oppose the Russian invasion of Ukraine with protestors calling for Putin to cease his attack on the eastern European nation.
Russian forces have continued to carry out attacks on Ukrainian cities and military with thousands of people worldwide coming together to rally against the unfolding war. Many have been protesting outside Russian Embassies while also taking to the streets.
Over 51 demonstrations have taken place in cities around Russia with over 1400 people detained by police according to the ABC. Participants could be seen holding signs that said, “Stop Putin”, “No to war” and “War is crime” while chanting various anti-Russian statements.
In response to the protests, Russian authorities said that there will be consequences for people who continue to voice their opinion on the matter.
“[There will be] negative legal consequences of these actions, which include prosecution and up to criminal liability,” they said.
“It should be remembered that holding a criminal record holds negative consequences and leaves a mark on the person’s future.”
While mass protests have been taking place in Russia, other countries have also been showing their support for Ukraine. In Israel, people outside the Russian embassy took their statement to another level with several Russians burning their passports, while protestors in Germany, France, Japan, Turkey, the US and several other nations voiced their anger in large gatherings.
The Ukrainian community and its supporters in Sydney took to the streets yesterday to condemn the actions of Russia while Flinders Station in Melbourne was lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Brisbane turned off the lights of all major landmarks as a sign of solidarity.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 137 people have been killed in the fighting so far with the country closing its airspace earlier this morning. US officials have reportedly said that they expect Kyiv to fall to Russia within the coming week.
