Russian peace march

draws tens of thousands in

support of Ukraine
Demonstrators clash during an anti-war rally and march Sunday in downtown
Moscow.Thousands marched through central Moscow to protest the fghting in Ukraine.
(a!el "olo!kin#$ssociated ress%
&y 'aroun Demir(ian Septem)er *+ at
,-./ M
MOSCOW A march for peace in Ukraine drew tens of thousands to downtown
Moscow Sunday in a show of protest against Russias invovement in the confict!
"he demonstration drew a mi#ed crowd of od and young$ famiies and organi%ed
factions$ who waked the route chanting songs and sogans the most common &eing
a simpe$ '(o to war!)
"his march is to show the peope that theres *uite a num&er of peope who are
against the war and dont think that most Ukrainians are fascists$) said Mikhai
+arder$ ,-! '"he government knows that! "he peope dont!)
.articipants waked on either side of a divided &ouevard under heavy poice
supervision$ many carrying or dressed in the coors of the Ukrainian fag$ whie others
&rought handmade signs caing for an end to the &oodshed$ the return of Crimea and
the re/ection of Russian .resident 0adimir .utin sometimes depicted with a 1iter2
stye mustache! "he event attracted a variety of su&groups as we$ such as feminist
activist groups and representatives of various opposition parties!
3ut the march which took pace on a sunny$ warm afternoon seemed to draw as
many curious o&servers to wak the route as it did dedicated demonstrators!

.eope paused to take photographs and
appaud those who stood aong the route
with signs &earing comica sogans such as
one man whose poster read$ '.utin$ our
hemorrhoids$) a pay in Russian on '.utin$ our hero) and engthier demands$ such
as 4uri Smagurovs pea to .utin to 'stop the armed and poitica aggression) in
Ukraine!

$ woman wears a traditional Ukrainian
0ower head)and during the anti-war
rally in downtown Moscow. (a!el
"olo!kin#$ssociated ress%
A war with Ukraine$ thats the most ridicuous$ the most idiotic thing that .utin coud
have come up with$) Smagurov said! 'We have put ourseves in such a position that
were against every&ody against 5urope$ against ourseves$ against the United
States$ against norma ife!)
"he march is the second peace ray to &e hed this year &ut the first since open
hostiities commenced in eastern Ukraine!
Ukrainian government troops and pro2Russian separatists are operating under a
tenuous$ 6remin2endorsed cease2fire that (A"O officias have said is effective 'in
name ony!) Western nations have accused Russia of fomenting the confict &y
supporting the re&es and sending Russian tanks and troops over the &order!
7n Russia$ officias have denied the accusations$ and the mosty state2run media have
portrayed a different picture of what is happening in Ukraine one in which re&es
are fighting to maintain minority rights against the aeged a&uses of a purportedy
fascist government! .os have indicated that 6remin poicy toward Ukraine is
overwhemingy popuar!
Counterprotesters &earing pro2separatist fags and a &anner reading 'March of
"raitors) echoed those sentiments Sunday$ &ut most of them were kept at &ay outside
the security &arriers!
4et the message sti hit too cose to home for many participants in Sundays march!
7 have a Russian passport$ &ut 7 am
Ukrainian$) said 7rina 6iseeva$ 89$ who
waked wrapped in a Ukrainian fag
aongside her hus&and$ 7gor 6iseev$
wrapped in a Russian fag! With tears in her eyes$ she said that when she hears
Ukrainians referred to as fascists$ 'that hurts me!)
rotesters carry Ukrainian 0ags during
the anti-war rally in Moscow. (Ma1im
Shemeto!#Reuters%
Certain protesters sought to counter the Russian messaging with signs peading:
';orgive us$ Ukraine) and 'Remem&er to turn off the teevision!)
3ut many worried that Sundays showing woud not &e effective!
1a&itua protesters hoped that the crowd woud at east riva the <=$=== who raied
for peace in March$ /ust &efore Russia anne#ed Crimea! "hough tens of thousands did
participate in Sundays demonstration the officia poice estimate of <$=== seemed
*uite ow it fe short of the goa!
"hen$ the war wasnt active$ at east$ &ut now theres an active war &etween our
countries$) said 7rina +inesina$ 8>! '"he peope are tota %om&ies as to what is
happening!)
3ut others thought that the gathering$ though perhaps not as arge as past
demonstrations$ was a net positive for &ringing peope out to the street at a time when
dissent is &eing stifed!
"here are many new faces thats reay important$) said Oga Ma%urova$ <8! '"he
more peope reai%e this isnt right for our country$ the &etter!)
We must aways show ?.utin@ that there are peope who think differenty$) said
"atyana 6omendant$ A,! '"here is a ot of propaganda &ut you write that we dont
a think that way!)
.osted &y "havam