Dozens of people demonstrated in Prague against Russia’s mobilization and aggression in Ukraine
Update: 25/09/2022 15:12
Issued by: 25/09/2022, 15:12
Prague – Dozens of people protested in Prague this afternoon against Russian aggression in Ukraine and partial mobilization in Russia. The demonstration started after 14:00 on Náměstí Míru and is peaceful. It was organized by the Prague Russian Anti-War Committee, which tries to unite opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin and help Ukrainian refugees.
Around 2:30 p.m., there were about a hundred protesters on Náměstí Míru. A number of people brought banners, for example with Putin’s likeness and the inscription Killer (Killer), the texts Moscow against Putin or Siberia against Putin, Putin carries terror or Why are you silent about Russian crimes in Buč?
A group of young women in black dresses like an umbrella also came to the protest. One of these demonstrators had a paper with the motif of the Russian flag, where instead of the red part there was a white stripe with the inscription “Here is blood forever”, another held a transparent one that read: “One humanitarian visa = minus one soldier! Open the borders”.
Music was playing on the square, organizers were handing out Ukrainian flags. People stood in front of the church of St. Ludmila and discussed with each other. The program also includes a walk through the city. It will lead through Václavské náměstí, street 28. října, Národní and Újezd to náměstí Kinsky. The protest is guarded by the police.
The Russian president announced a partial mobilization on Wednesday. In a televised appearance, he stated that he was defending himself from the West, which, according to Putin, is trying to weaken, divide and destroy Russia. The mobilization sparked protests in Russian cities and many people began to flee abroad. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the mobilization should concern 300,000 reservists.
The Czechia was the first EU state to suspend the issuance of visas for citizens of Russia across the board the day after the invasion of Ukraine, i.e. on February 25. The ban is still in place, later the Czechia also imposed it on Belarusian citizens, in both cases with humanitarian cases.
Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský (Pirates) told ČTK on Thursday that Russians who are fleeing the country because they want to avoid mobilization do not meet the conditions for granting a humanitarian visa in the Czech Republic. Today, President Miloš Zeman said on the Party program that, in his opinion, the Czech Republic should accept Russians fleeing mobilization, he does not see them as a security risk. According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS), the Czechia will treat potential deserters as all asylum seekers.
According to the statement of the spokesperson of the European Commission on Thursday, the decision whether to admit people coming from Russia to their territory is up to the member states of the European Union. According to her, EU states should always guarantee entry to EU asylum seekers and then assess their applications individually.