Military operation in Ukraine. The main thing
The day before, according to the capital’s Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, “for various violations of public order” 600 participants in an anti-war rally were detained. Among the detainees is a girl who threw a Molotov cocktail on fire towards police officers. A criminal case was initiated on the use of violence against a representative of the authorities (part 1 of article 318 of the Criminal Code; the maximum punishment for this part is imprisonment for up to five years).
Read on RBC Pro
In addition to Moscow, protests against the Russian military operation in Ukraine took place in such cities as St. Petersburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee, as well as the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office, warned of liability for calls and participation in uncoordinated actions, up to and including criminal liability. The police recalled that there are anti-COVID restrictions in the regions, including those related to holding public events. The Kremlin, commenting on the detentions at protest actions, said that “they have no right by law, without following certain procedures, to organize actions to express their point of view.”
On February 24, President Vladimir Putin announced his decision to launch a military operation in Ukraine following an appeal from the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. He explained it by self-defense, as well as “demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.” Ukraine and Western countries condemned Russia’s actions. The US and EU have imposed new sanctions.