War in Ukraine brings rare sight in Russia: Protests in dozens of cities against Putin and the attacks

The protests came with an outpouring of horror from liberal Russians, social media influencers, sportspeople, actors, television presenters and others.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny Thursday spoke out against the war during a court hearing, as members of the Russian political elite either remained silent or celebrated.

Navalny was appearing via video link in court on charges of fraud, one of several cases against him, after he was nearly fatally poisoned with a chemical weapon by Russian security agents in 2020 and jailed in 2021 upon returning to Russia following medical treatment for the poisoning in Germany. His political organization was banned as extremist last year. He calls the charges against him political.

“I have no method of communicating with the outside world,” Navalny said via video link at Lefortovo District Court hearing. “I ask that my appeal to the court and to the world be recorded.

“I am against this war. I believe that this war between Russia and Ukraine is being waged to cover up the robbery of Russian citizens and to distract their attention from the problems that exist within the country, from the degradation of the economy.”

He said the war would lead to many casualties and ruined lives. Navalny said, “this group that has now seized power” was waging war to cling to the spoils of office, including palaces in Moscow and on the Black Sea.

His arrest a year ago provoked the biggest protests seen in Russia in cities across the country. On Thursday, the anger and dismay for many Russians was just as visceral, although many were afraid to risk a criminal record and jail for taking to the streets.

With Putin’s moves to crush dissent, including a bar on critical reporting of the military and security agencies, analysts predicted the protests would probably be swiftly curtailed. Last year, many activists and opposition figures were either jailed, placed under house arrest or forced to flee the country to avoid prison.

About 1,000 protesters rallied in central Moscow, chanting “No to war,” with some of them carrying antiwar banners. Riot police closed in quickly, forcing them into police vans. Large protests took place in other cities such as St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Perm.

Russia’s Investigative Committee warned it would track down protest organizers and participants, threatening “severe punishment for mass riots.”

At least 290 people were arrested in Moscow, 128 in St Petersburg, 50 in Perm and 37 in Yekaterinburg, OVD-Info reported. More than 290,000 people signed a petition against the war on change.org.

Marina Agaltsova, a lawyer with Memorial, said those who did protest were extremely brave, adding that “Russians are deeply terrified of arrests and court trials over rallying people to go out and protest.”

Human rights activist Marina Litvinovich urged Russians not to cry and “not to be afraid, but to but just come out and say that they are against the war,” in comments on social media. Calling on people to protest is an offense under Russia’s restrictive laws.

Exiled Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a Putin critic jailed in 2005 for 10 years on charges of fraud, said anyone who helped “this junta” was a war criminal.

“I urge you to do everything possible, everyone in their place, to stop the war!” he wrote on Telegram.

Comedian and television presenter Maxim Galkin wrote on Instagram, “There can be no excuse for war! No war!”

Ivan Urgant, a presenter and actor on state television, posted on Instagram, “Fear and pain. NO WAR.”

Liberal political analyst Vladimir Pastukhov called the attacks on Ukraine “the mistake of the whole nation,” of Russia in a commentary on Echo of Moscow radio website.

“The price will be incredibly high, which is frightening to think about. This is a war already lost by Putin … The occupation of Ukraine, direct or indirect, would be a noose around Russia’s neck.”

Ekaterina Schulmann, a prominent liberal political analyst and journalist, said everyone was afraid and urged people to speak out after “the deafening silence of the initial horror.

“Our old life is gone, and a new life is coming. It's poorer, more dangerous, and more limited, but that's no reason to change your principles. Good and evil do not change places just because our personal circumstances change,” she said.

Alexei Kouprianov, a data analyst who runs a St Petersburg Facebook information page on covid-19, condemned Russia’s aggression and “expressed solidarity with Ukrainians, guilt and remorse.”

“I regret we failed to overthrow the regime before it went too far,” he said.