Navalny calls for Russians to protest daily against Ukraine war and calls Putin ‘insane czar’
‘I call on everyone to take to the streets and fight for peace,’ says Kremlin critic
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has called on Russians to protest against the “aggressive war” in Ukraine – branding Vladimir Putin an “obviously insane czar”.
The prominent Kremlin critic urged people to stage daily demonstrations against Moscow’s military campaign.
“I call on everyone to take to the streets and fight for peace,” his spokesperson wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
Navalny’s account tweeted: “We - Russia - want to be a nation of peace. Alas, few people would call us that now.
“Let’s at least not become a nation of frightened silent people. Of cowards who pretend not to notice the aggressive war against Ukraine unleashed by our obviously insane czar.”
Navalny has called for people across the world to protest against the war in town squares and outside embassies every day at 7pm and at 2pm on weekends, his spokesperson said.
His movement previously called for a campaign of civil disobedience against Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.
Navalny praised the thousands of people who have already been detained in anti-war protests across Russia, where demonstrations are tightly restricted.
“Putin is not Russia,” his account tweeted. “If there is anything in Russia right now that you can be most proud of, it is those 6824 people who were detained because - without any call - they took to the streets with placards saying ‘No War’”.
Navalny, Putin’s most prominent opponent, was almost killed in a nerve agent attack last year. Russia has denied responsibility.
He was jailed after returning to Russia from Germany following his recovery.
Since then, authorities have clamped down even more tightly on his movement, and key figures have fled into exile after being designated by the authorities as “foreign agents”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments