Russia has been facing internal resistance from its own people after it announced to invade Ukraine earlier last month. From Moscow to Siberia, Russian anti-war activists took to the streets again to protest against President Vladimir Putin’s, despite the arrests of hundreds of protesters each day by police.
In the series of arrests, the detention of a Russian survivor of Word War II (WWII) has hit the headlines globally. According to a report by Mirror, Yelena Osipova, a 76-year-old pensioner, who had survived the Siege of Leningrad from 1941-44, was detained by the police while demonstrating in St. Petersburg on March 2.
Watch the video of war veteran’s arrest here:
#Putin’s police arrested a 76yr old woman today in #StPetersburg – for protesting against the invasion of #Ukraine.
How brave & patriotic of them!
Yelena Osipova survived the Siege of Leningrad from 1941-44.pic.twitter.com/iOjghOv1u0
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) March 2, 2022
In the video that went viral on several social media platforms including Twitter, the septuagenarian activist could be seen protesting against President Putin while holding a poster that reads: “Soldier, drop your weapon and you will be a true hero!”
However, as the video proceeds, two police personnel could be seen marching with her while the protestors could be heard applauding her efforts in support of the Ukrainian people. According to a report by the Associated Press, protests against the invasion started on Thursday in Russia and have continued everyday ever since, even as Russian police have moved swiftly to crack down on the rallies and detain protesters.
War veteran arrested along with several children
The report said that in St. Petersburg, where several hundred gathered in the city centre, police in full riot gear were grabbing one protester after another and dragging some into police vans, even though the demonstration was peaceful. Footage from Moscow showed police throwing several female protesters on the ground before dragging them away.
As per multiple media reports, besides, the arrest of the war veteran, Russian police have also detained several women and children including, Liza (11), Gosha (11), Matvey (9), David (7), and Sofya (7).
“It is a crime both against Ukraine and Russia. I think it is killing both Ukraine and Russia. I am outraged, I haven’t slept for three nights, and I think we must now declare very loudly that we don’t want to be killed and don’t want Ukraine to be killed,” Olga Mikheeva, who protested in the Siberian city of Irkutsk told AP.
Ukraine has been witnessing a full-scale invasion of Russian forces since February 24, after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a military operation against his neighbouring country.
