WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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SOURCE: POBJEDA / M.J.
Russians living in Budva organized an anti-war rally to mark the two-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Those gathered carried Ukrainian flags, the message "Peace to Ukraine, freedom to Russia", and unfurled the banner "Terrorist Putin is destroying Ukraine, he killed the oppositionist Alexei Navalny".
During the two-hour rally, in wind and rain, several hundred Russians chanted "No to war", and the speakers ended their speeches with the shout "Glory to Ukraine".
This gathering was born out of our feeling of horror and anger because of everything that Putin's government is doing in Ukraine, but also because of everything that is happening in Russia itself, such as the murder of Navalny, one of the gathered, Lyudmila from Moscow, told Radio Free Europe (RSE). .
The root of all the horror in Ukraine and Russia is Putin and his politics, and with this gathering we want to show that we clearly see that, and that we are against what he is doing - says Lyudmila.
When asked if, on the day the invasion began, she thought that the war would enter its third year, Ljudmila says that people around her did not even believe that war was even possible.
And then February 24 happened and my first thought was: this is the beginning of a return to the Soviet era - she points out.
To the RSE reporter's remark that she is speaking for a media that is declared "undesirable" in Russia, Ludmila replies that this will not deter people from speaking their minds.
For Putin's regime to label someone a 'foreign agent' is a sad sign of quality for me. Those marked are actually telling the truth and we all know that it is just a way to shut someone's mouth, nothing else - Ljudmila assesses.
Sergej came to the meeting because, as he says, it is important to see that there are Russians who are against the war.
I remember that on the day of the invasion I was afraid that Ukraine would not be able to stop Putin [Vladimir, President of Russia]. I still believe that it will be stopped, maybe it won't happen as quickly as I wanted, it will take time, but I believe that Ukraine will defeat evil - says Sergej.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, tens of thousands of Russians have come to Montenegro. According to the latest data, there are currently around 25,000 Russian citizens.
The largest part is stationed on the Montenegrin coast, mostly in Budva and Bar.
A gathering with the same messages was also held in Herceg Novi, where a group of Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians marked the second anniversary of the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
