Ukraine invasion: Thousands march in anti-war protests across St Petersburg

Thousands of people in cities across Russia have defied police threats to protest against the military campaign in Ukraine.

Footage shared on social media shows large crowds gathering in St Petersburg on Thursday, marching down streets to share anti-war messages.

Police made at least 1,702 arrests in 53 Russian cities overnight as they cracked down on the unsanctioned demonstrations.

Most of those arrests were made in Moscow and St Petersburg, where the crowds were largest.

Many protesters chanted: “No to war!” as they reacted with shock to the attack on Ukraine.

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