More than 200 people were arrested in Russia on Saturday for protest actions against the Russian offensive in Ukraine, said the NGO OVD-Info specializing in monitoring arrests in the country.
At least 211 people were arrested during protests in 17 Russian cities, the NGO said in a statement.
In Moscow, a sit-in against the Russian military intervention in Ukraine was scheduled for 11:00 a.m. GMT in the morning in Zariadié Park, in the shadow of the Kremlin. Soon after, police began arresting people sitting on park benches in the middle of a snowstorm.
“No to war in Ukraine!“, shouted a young woman who came with a bouquet of white tulips and was arrested by the police.
More than 30 police vans were deployed around the park and near the red Kremlin walls, and more than 20 people were arrested, according to the AFP journalist.
Arrests also took place in Saint Petersburg (northwest), the second largest city in Russia, during a similar rally organized as part of a national action announced on social networks.
Sit-ins against the Russian military operation in Ukraine had been announced on social networks in around thirty cities across Russia, from Vladivostok (Far East) to Sochi (south).
The organizers also said in a statement that they wanted to protest against “the collapse of the Russian economy, against (Russian President Vladimir) Putin” and for the release of imprisoned opponent Alexei Navalny.
“Russia deserves peace, democracy and prosperity“, they wrote.
In St. Petersburg, about 40 people were present at the designated location for the downtown sit-in, without it being possible to tell if they were protesters, according to an AFP reporter.
Nevertheless, up to 25 people were arrested, she found.
Violating the ban on demonstrations put in place by the Russian authorities, pacifists gather from time to time in Russia to denounce the military intervention in Ukraine.
Protesters risk a fine and prison terms. According to OVD-Info, more than 15,000 people have been arrested in protest demonstrations against the Russian offensive since its launch on February 24.