'Glory to Ukraine': hundreds of thousands march against Russian invasion

France 24 ^ | Issued on: 27/02/2022 - 17:56 Modified: 27/02/2022 - 17:54

[Zhang Fei]

Dressed in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukraine flag and bearing posters crying "No World War 3", hundreds of thousands of people descended on the streets Sunday in solidarity with Ukraine as it battles the invading Russian army.

From Berlin to Baghdad to Quito, demonstrators chanted "shame" against Russian President Vladimir Putin, while others waved banners with slogans like "Putin murderer" or "stop the monster".

In the German capital, police estimated turnout at at least 100,000, while Prague drew 70,000 and Amsterdam 15,000.

Organisers of the Berlin protest put the numbers at five times the police estimate, with demonstrators massing at the Brandenburg Gate, a stone's throw away from the imposing Russian embassy on major boulevard Unter den Linden.

Although the embassy -- in which Russian diplomats not only work but live -- was cordoned off by police, some protesters gathered in front shouting "glory to Ukraine" and singing Ukrainian songs.

"It is important to me for Germany to show that it is standing for democracy in Europe," said Hans Georg Kieler, 49, who had turned out at the demonstration.

He voiced approval for Germany's decision to begin delivering armaments to Ukraine, but said he thought "we could have helped Ukraine more".

Ukrainian Valeria Moiseeva was also at the march.

"I am personally disappointed by Russia, I hate Russia, I hate all Russians," the pregnant 35-year-old said, adding that her mother was now sitting in a cellar in Kyiv in fear of bombs.

'Madman'

In Prague, tens of thousands gathered at the central Wencleslas Square, including Roman Novotny, who had to travel around 300 kilometres (186 miles) to get to the protest from Uherske Hradiste in the southeast of the country.

"We all have to do our best," he told AFP, carrying a banner slamming Putin.

[Zhang Fei]

This is a pretty significant development that has forced the German chancellor's hand, as a commenter pointed out elsewhere.

[dila813]

I was listening to Inna Sovsun Ukrainian Parliament Member saying that Russians are lost, out of fuel, starving, and confused about what they should do with many are surrendering.

We are killing them and winning.

[BusterDog]

Look at all the waiters.

[Zhang Fei]

German chancellor Scholz in a fairly long formal speech in parliament an hour ago has announced five steps that the German government is taking:

1. Support Ukraine with weapon deliveries from Germany and Allies as an answer to Putin's aggression
2. Deter Putin from further aggression through sanctions and embargos, both against the country, its private business and "responsible individuals".
3. continue to increase deployed Bundeswehr units to support Eastern-European NATO allies.
   1. Maintain Battlegroup in Lithuania (being expanded with reserve forces).
   2. Contribute to second Battlegroup in Slovakia being built up (Germany will also take command of this second Battlegroup).
   3. Continue current adhoc-formed Air Policing deployment in Romania (training deployment with Italy was transformed to that)
   4. Continue current adhoc deployment of German Navy ships in patrols in Baltic Sea and Mediterranean.
   5. Ready air defence forces for deployment on NATO eastern borders if required.
4. Invest to increase Bundeswehr capabilities:
   1. Establish an immediate 100 billion Euro budget for 2022 to increase Bundeswehr capabilities.
   2. Permanently raise defence budget above 2% GDP.
   3. Prioritize projects with European partners, in particular France for new MBTs, future Eurofighter replacement and just signed Eurodrone project. Replace Tornado with SEAD-enabled Eurofighters and consider F-35 for nuclear delivery (and yes, he named the thing usually not named). Procure Heron UCAV from Israel.
   4. Increase hybrid warfare and cyber resilience.
   5. (Seek increased energy independence from Russia by expanding coal and gas reserves and building two LNG terminals.)
5. (didn't quite catch that - lots of bla about "ceasing naive exterior politics" of recent years and about alliances and "defending a peaceful Europe")

There was a lot of serious pathos and patriotistic platitudes throughout the speech, going as far as "we shall defend every square meter of NATO" and a "do not ask what you can get out of Brussels for your own country, but ask what is the best decision for The Union". The speech was accentuated by standing applause from most of the plenum (except the right-extremist pro-Putin AfD faction).

[dp0622]

Yeah and those million people marches stopped Bush from starting and finishing his invasion of Iraq.

[Scarlett156]

My money’s on “Ru$$ia retreats within a set amount of days” with “Ukraine seems to have cowed them” and/or “There’s something else going on that the media want for us to look at now” being two alternate outcomes.

Who wants to chip in? (Mr K - not the one on this forum - is betting on “Ukraine is victorious! Ru$$ia humiliated!” but as above my money is on “Ru$$ia retreats at what seems a suspiciously prearranged time before suffering any significant losses.”)

Another item involved could be whether there is any sort of nuclear exchange between the two combatants or from any outside interest (like Iran vs Israel, for example).

[dp0622]

you REALLY want american kids to die over ukraine???

just wow.

So now there’s neo conservatives here too.

oh boy

[dp0622]

you REALLY want american kids to die over ukraine???

just wow.

So now there’s neo conservatives here too.

oh boy

[ScottinVA]

All the Ukes have to do is bog the Russians down and hit-and-run them to death. The KGB thug thought he’d blitzkrieg his way through Ukraine…. Turns out he was wrong.

[SeekAndFind]

Ok, we’ve heard from Germany.

Has anyone heard from Joe Biden? The supposed leader of the Free World?

[fireman15]

The Russians got so lost that they accidentally went all the way around Kiev and cut it off mistakenly.

The most amazing thing to me is the number of people here and also my neighbors who have bought 100% into all this nonsense. The Covid hysterics have been worse but not by that much. We have so many who believe that villainizing Putin and Russians in general is the patriotic thing to do.

Most of them could not differentiate between a Russian and a Ukrainian if their life depended on it. Was that good looking newish car you bought that turned out to have 3 cans of Bondo holding it together and did not have airbags installed from a Russian or a Ukrainian? They don't know.

[Right Wing Vegan]

The most amazing thing to me is the number of people here and also my neighbors who have bought 100% into all this nonsense.

I'm no expert on the region or conflict, but that does sort of sound like "the mexicans are going home" type propaganda.

[Zhang Fei]

[you REALLY want american kids to die over ukraine???

just wow.

So now there’s neo conservatives here too.

oh boy]

---

That’s not my preference. The point of this article is to highlight the fact that hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Berlin, which no one expected. This caused a chancellor who appeared to be Putin’s concierge to do a sharp U-turn and do the kind of patriotic speech no one has heard since Berlin was turned into rubble ~80 years ago. A summary of that speech is quoted above.

[Wissa]

The KGB thug thought he’d blitzkrieg his way through Ukraine…

I've seen it said that Russia is taking a slower approach in an attempt to reduce civilian infrastructure losses. Different from the US approach. The US likes to destroy everything ASAP, followed by spending taxpayer dollars to rebuild it all.

[Long Jon No Silver]

A few of Zhang Fei's German pals have just landed in Ukraine.

[ScottinVA]

Seen it said by whom?

[Republican Wildcat]

Where do you get that from a post summarizing the speech of a German official?

[Wissa]

Seen it said by whom?

Somebody on the internet. Same place most everybody else is getting their information. Except for those who are just making it up to feed a narrative, of course.

[Vaden]

I don’t have much (any) standing here but I just want to say this loudly and clearly:

Our problems are many but evil is evil, right is right, and wrong is wrong. Putin is evil and wrong. No liberty loving person should support this hideous man.

I call upon the leaders of this site to start banning the defenders of this monster and the purveyors of Russian government propaganda.

Long live Ukraine!