At least 60 people were arrested in 14 cities around Russia, according to the human rights organization OVD Info.
Most people were arrested in St. Petersburg, where people, among other things, left flowers at a statue erected in memory of the Ukrainian linguist Taras Shevchenko.
Similar sporadic flower protests had emerged in Russia earlier this year, including to honor victims of the Dnipro attack.
In the year 2022, Russia enacted several laws that make peaceful protests impossible. Those who criticize the war in Ukraine risk, among other things, being convicted of spreading “fake news” about the Russian army. A crime that can result in up to ten years in prison, it also applies to participants in peaceful protests.
A total of 19,586 people have been arrested in Russia for taking a stand against the war in any way. It concerns protesters, people who have posted on social media or said something contrary to Russia’s official line in private conversations, according to OVD Info.
See the protests in the clip.