2014 anti-war protests in Russia

{{Short description|2014 protest in Russia against military intervention in Ukraine}}

{{Infobox civil conflict

| title = 2014 anti-war protests in Russia

| partof = the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
and Russian opposition protest rallies

| image = File:Марш за мир и свободу (2).jpg

| caption = At least 30,000 people with Russian and Ukrainian flags, flags of political parties and peace symbols

| date = 2 & 15 March, 21 September 2014

| place = Moscow & Saint Petersburg, Russia

| coordinates =

| causes = *Opposition to the Russo-Ukrainian War

Opposition to the authority of Vladimir Putin
Opposition to the pro-government demonstrations
Solidarity with the Euromaidan protesters

| goals = *Military withdrawal of Russia from Ukraine

| methods = *Demonstrations

Internet activism

| status =

| result =

| side1 = {{Flagicon|Russia}} Russian opposition

Solidarnost
Yabloko
Civic Platform
RPR-PARNAS
5th of December Party
Progress Party
Democratic Choice
Right Cause
Autonomous Action
Russian Socialist Movement
Alliance of Greens and Social Democrats
Anti-war activists
Anti-censorship activists{{Citation needed|date=January 2015}}

| side2 = {{Flagicon|Russia}} Government of Russia

{{Flagicon image|Flag of the Ministry for Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (MVD of Russia).svg}} MVD
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.svg}} Police of Russia
{{flagicon image|Flag of Internal Troops of Russia.svg}} Russian Internal Troops
OMON
Political parties
United Russia
{{flagicon image|KPRF Flag.svg}} Communist Party
{{flagicon image|Флаг СРЗП.svg}} A Just Russia
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.svg}} Liberal Democratic Party
{{flagicon image|Flag of Essence of Time.svg}} Essence of Time
Civic Platform[http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-february-21-2015/ Russia Update: Paid Protesters, Ultranationalist Groups, State Workers March Against Maidan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526220153/http://www.interpretermag.com/russia-update-february-21-2015/ |date=26 May 2016 }}, The Interpreter (Institute of Modern Russia), February 21, 2015.

| side3 =

| leadfigures1 = {{Flagicon|Russia}} Boris Nemtsov
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Alexei Navalny
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Ilya Yashin
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Andrey Makarevich
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Vladimir Milov
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Irina Prokhorova
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Gennady Gudkov
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Dmitry Gudkov
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Valeriya Novodvorskaya
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Konstantin Borovoi

| leadfigures2 = File:Standard of the President of the Russian Federation.svg Vladimir Putin
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Dmitry Medvedev
{{Flagicon|Russia}} Sergey Kurginyan
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.svg}} Vladimir Zhirinovsky

| leadfigures3 =

| howmany1 = *Ministry of Defence, 2 March: 130{{cite news|title=Dozens Detained at Anti-War Rallies|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/dozens-detained-at-anti-war-rallies/495450.html|access-date=17 March 2014|newspaper=Moscow Times|date=3 March 2014|archive-date=16 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316024443/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/dozens-detained-at-anti-war-rallies/495450.html|url-status=live}}

Manezhnaya Square, 2 March: 230
Moscow, 15 March: 30,000 (Reuters), 100,000 (Russian opposition), 3,000 (Moscow police)

| casualties1 =

| casualties2 =

| injuries =

| arrests =

| detentions =

| charged =

| fined =

| casualties_label =

| notes =

}}

The 2014 anti-war protests in Russia refers to a series of anti-war demonstrations opposing the Russian military intervention in Ukraine that took place in Russia in 2014. Protesters held two anti-war protest rallies on 2 and 15 March 2014. The latter, known as the March of Peace ({{Lang-rus|Марш Мира}}, Marsh Mira), took place in Moscow a day before the Crimean referendum. The protests have been the largest in Russia since the 2011–2013 Russian protests by the Russian opposition against the alleged electoral fraud committed by United Russia during the 2011 Russian legislative election. Reuters reported that around 20,000 people participated in the 15 March demonstrations.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dw.com/en/anti-war-protesters-march-through-moscow/a-17938261 |title=Anti-war protesters march through Moscow |website=Deutsche Welle |access-date=13 December 2015 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222145813/http://www.dw.com/en/anti-war-protesters-march-through-moscow/a-17938261 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|title=Ukraine crisis triggers Russia's biggest anti-Putin protest in two years|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-russia-rallies-idINL6N0MC0JC20140315|access-date=16 March 2014|newspaper=Reuters|date=15 March 2014|archive-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622232507/https://in.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-russia-rallies-idINL6N0MC0JC20140315|url-status=dead}}

Timeline

On 1 March, five people who were picketing next to the Federation Council building against the invasion of Ukraine were arrested.{{cite news |url=http://www.unian.ua/politics/891669-u-rosiji-zatrimali-aktivistiv-yaki-protestuvali-proti-viyni-z-ukrajinoyu.html |title=In Russia were detained activists who protested against the war with Ukraine |agency=Ukrainian Independent Information Agency |date=March 1, 2014 |access-date=10 March 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402145849/http://www.unian.ua/politics/891669-u-rosiji-zatrimali-aktivistiv-yaki-protestuvali-proti-viyni-z-ukrajinoyu.html |url-status=live }} The next day about 200 people protested at the building of the Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow against Russian military involvement.{{cite web |url=http://www.utro.ru/articles/2014/03/02/1179378.shtml |title=На антивоенных акциях в Москве задержаны 300 человек (Na antivoyennykh aktsiyakh v Moskve zaderzhany 300 chelovek) |date=2 March 2014 |trans-title=At the anti-war actions in Moscow detained 300 people |publisher=Utro |place=RU |language=ru |access-date=March 2, 2014 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402154705/http://www.utro.ru/articles/2014/03/02/1179378.shtml |url-status=live }} About 500 people also gathered to protest on the Manezhnaya Square in Moscow and the same number of people on the Saint Isaac's Square in Saint Petersburg.{{cite web |url=http://investigator.org.ua/news/120579/ |title=В Москве и Перебурге проходят митинги против российской оккупации Крыма. Уже есть задержанные (V Moskve i Peterburge prokhodyat mitingi protiv rossiyskoy okkupatsii Kryma. Uzhe yest' zaderzhannyye) |date=2 March 2014 |trans-title=In Moscow and St. Petersburg rallies against the Russian occupation of the Crimea. Already have detained |language=ru |publisher=Центр журналистских расследований (Tsentr zhurnalistskikh rassledovaniy) [Center for Investigative Journalism] |access-date=March 2, 2014 |archive-date=25 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225164105/https://investigator.org.ua/news/120579/ |url-status=live }} On 2 March, about eleven protesters demonstrated in Yekaterinburg against Russian involvement, with some wrapped in the Ukrainian flag.{{cite web |url=http://www.kp.ru/online/news/1674924/ |title=Жители Екатеринбурга провели пикеты против ввода российских войск в Крым (Zhiteli Yekaterinburga proveli pikety protiv vvoda rossiyskikh voysk v Krym) |trans-title=Inhabitants of Ekaterinburg picketed against Russian troops in the Crimea |work=Komsomolskaya Pravda |date=2 March 2014 |place=RU |language=ru |access-date=March 2, 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714050044/http://www.kp.ru/online/news/1674924/ |url-status=live }} On 15 March, for a rally in support of Ukraine in Yekaterinburg, according to various sources, between 400 and 600 people left,{{Cite web |url=http://www.segodnya.ua/world/slava-ukraine-po-moskovski-mneniya-i-ocenki-marsha-mira-503048.html |title="Слава Украине!" по-московски: мнения и оценки "Марша мира" |trans-title="Glory to Ukraine!" in Moscow: opinions and assessments of the "Peace March" |access-date=27 March 2017 |archive-date=19 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119001225/https://www.segodnya.ua/world/slava-ukraine-po-moskovski-mneniya-i-ocenki-marsha-mira-503048.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=http://ura.ru/news/1052176925 |title=Бунт против Путина? Мэр Екатеринбурга Ройзман возглавил «украинский» пикет и получил татарский торт. «Полагаю, это серьезный удар по отношениям мэрии Екатеринбурга и Москвы». ФОТО |date=15 March 2014 |trans-title=Revolt against Putin? Yekaterinburg Mayor Roizman led a "Ukrainian" picket and received a Tatar cake. “I think this is a serious blow to relations between the mayor’s office of Yekaterinburg and Moscow.” A PHOTO |access-date=27 March 2017 |archive-date=28 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328195157/http://ura.ru/news/1052176925 |url-status=live }} including the Mayor of the city Yevgeny Roizman. Protests were also held in Chelyabinsk on the same day.{{cite web |url=http://www.ura.ru/content/svrd/02-03-2014/news/1052176002.html |title="Сколько детей ты готов похоронить, чтобы Крым стал частью России?" Первые антивоенные пикеты прошли на Урале ("Skol'ko detey ty gotov pokhoronit', chtoby Krym stal chast'yu Rossii?" Pervyye antivoyennyye pikety proshli na Urale) |date=2 March 2014 |trans-title="How many children are you willing to bury to Crimea became part of Russia?" First anti-war pickets were held in the Urals |publisher=Ura |place=RU |language=ru |access-date=March 2, 2014 |archive-date=12 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712044305/http://ura.ru/content/svrd/02-03-2014/news/1052176002.html |url-status=live }} The opposition to the military intervention was also expressed by rock musician Andrey Makarevich, who wrote in particular: "You want war with Ukraine? It will not be the way it was with Abkhazia: the folks on the Maidan have been hardened and know what they are fighting for – for their country, their independence. [...] We have to live with them. Still neighborly. And preferably in friendship. But it's up to them how they want to live".{{cite web |url=http://www.novayagazeta.ru/society/62540.html |title=Не стреляй! Шевчук, Гребенщиков, Макаревич. Антивоенная риторика (Ne strelyay! Shevchuk, Grebenshchikov, Makarevich. Antivoyennaya ritorika) |trans-title=Do not shoot! Shevchuk, Grebenshikov Makarevich. antiwar rhetoric |work=Novaya Gazeta |language=ru |access-date=March 4, 2014 |archive-date=9 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109213134/http://www.novayagazeta.ru/society/62540.html |url-status=live }} The Professor of the Department of Philosophy at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations Andrey Zubov was fired for his article in Vedomosti, criticizing Russian military intervention.{{Cite news |last = Bershidsky |first = Leonid |date = March 25, 2014 |title = Comparing Putin to Hitler Will Get You Fired |url = http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-03-25/comparing-putin-to-hitler-will-get-you-fired |work = bloomberg.com |access-date = March 25, 2014 |archive-date = 4 March 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075031/http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-03-25/comparing-putin-to-hitler-will-get-you-fired |url-status = live }}

On 2 March, one Moscow resident protested against Russian intervention by holding "Stop the war" banner, but he was immediately harassed by passers-by and when the police was arresting him, a woman offered to fabricate a serious charge (beating up a child) against him; however, the proposal was rejected by the police.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26531310 |title=Ukraine crisis: Russians opposed to Putin |publisher=BBC News Magazine |date=12 March 2014 |access-date=21 June 2018 |archive-date=17 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617221537/https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26531310 |url-status=live }} Andrei Zubov, a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, who compared Russian actions in Crimea to the Anschluss of Austria, was threatened. Alexandr Chuyev, the leader of the pro-Kremlin Spravedlivaya Rossiya party, also objected to Russian intervention in Ukraine. Boris Akunin, popular Russian writer, predicted that Russia's moves would lead to political and economic isolation.

Protests against the Russian intervention also occurred outside Russian embassies in London, Berlin, Vilnius and Ankara on 2 March.{{citation|title = Ukraine Crisis|url = http://avaxnews.net/fact/Ukraine_Crisis.html|publisher = Avax News|date = 2 Mar 2014|access-date = 22 Sep 2014|archive-date = 6 March 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140306035622/http://avaxnews.net/fact/Ukraine_Crisis.html|url-status = live}}

=March of Peace (15 March) protests=

Protests against the Russian intervention in Crimea also took place in Cologne and outside the Russian Consulate in Bonn, Germany, on 15 March.{{citation|title = Anti-Russia protests in Germany|publisher = Deutsche Welle|url = http://www.dw.de/anti-russia-protests-in-germany/a-17500087|date = 15 Mar 2014|access-date = 24 May 2014|archive-date = 29 May 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140529173457/http://www.dw.de/anti-russia-protests-in-germany/a-17500087|url-status = live}}

In August, about a dozen activists were arrested outside the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow for protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin.{{cite news|title = Anti-Ukraine war activists arrested for protest in Moscow|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/11031034/Anti-Ukraine-war-activists-arrested-for-protest-in-Moscow.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140814020013/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/11031034/Anti-Ukraine-war-activists-arrested-for-protest-in-Moscow.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 14 August 2014|publisher = Telegraph|date = 13 Aug 2014|access-date = 22 Sep 2014|location=London}}

=21 September=

Another anti-war rally with about 5,000 to 20,000 demonstrators took place on Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow on 21 September 2014.{{citation|title = Ukraine crisis: Thousands march in Moscow anti-war rally|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29300213|work = BBC News|date = 21 Sep 2014|access-date = 22 Sep 2014|archive-date = 21 September 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140921234722/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29300213|url-status = live}} The Washington Post reported that "tens of thousands" protested the war in Ukraine with a peace march in downtown Moscow "under heavy police supervision".{{cite news |title=Russian peace march draws tens of thousands in support of Ukraine |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/russian-peace-march-draws-tens-of-thousands-in-support-of-ukraine/2014/09/21/c5a45f35-b07c-4e7b-81ae-8c7d8fcaa0bd_story.html |access-date=2013-09-23 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=2014-09-21 |first=Karoun |last=Demirjian |archive-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623090142/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/russian-peace-march-draws-tens-of-thousands-in-support-of-ukraine/2014/09/21/c5a45f35-b07c-4e7b-81ae-8c7d8fcaa0bd_story.html |url-status=live }} There were minor scuffles with pro-Russian supporters, but no serious violence or arrests were reported.{{citation|title = Thousands March Against War In Moscow, St. Petersburg|url = http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-antiwar-marches-ukraine/26597971.html|publisher = Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty|date = 22 Sep 2014|access-date = 22 September 2014|archive-date = 21 September 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140921234956/http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-antiwar-marches-ukraine/26597971.html|url-status = live}} About a thousand people also gathered outside the Kazan Cathedral in Saint Petersburg to protest against Russia's involvement in Ukraine.{{citation|title = Thousands march in Moscow against Kremlin role in Ukraine strife|url = http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/thousands-march-in-moscow/1373760.html|publisher = Channel NewsAsia|date = 22 Sep 2014|access-date = 22 September 2014|archive-date = 28 September 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140928153319/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/thousands-march-in-moscow/1373760.html|url-status = live}}

Thousands of people around the world supported this event by holding anti-war demonstrations on the same day. In the US, San Francisco, New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston and Boston took part in the protest activities.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/707043659383048/photos/a.707896409297773.1073741829.707043659383048/711186432302104/?type=1&theater|title=Timeline Photos – Russian Americans in Support of Ukraine – Facebook|website=Facebook|access-date=14 October 2014|archive-date=25 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225164048/https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F707043659383048%2Fphotos%2Fa.707896409297773.1073741829.707043659383048%2F711186432302104%2F%3Ftype%3D1%26theater|url-status=live}}

Anti-war congress

On 19 March 2014, the anti-war congress of Russian intelligentsia took place in Moscow.{{cite web|url=http://hro.rightsinrussia.info/hro-org/ukraine-16|title=Congress of Intelligentsia against War meets in Moscow|access-date=14 October 2014|archive-date=1 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141001183023/http://hro.rightsinrussia.info/hro-org/ukraine-16|url-status=live}} The memorandum issued by the Congress proclaims:

{{quotation|We, the representatives of the Russian intelligentsia feel ourselves obliged to warn the authorities from making historical mistake – the desire to take control of a part of Ukraine, the country which was considered as a brotherly one.}}

Open letter by Russian scientists

On 19 March 2014, a group of Russian scientists published an open letter to the Russian Ministry of Communications. The letter demanded the Ministry to check the television programs of Dmitry Kiselev for signs of extremism and incitement of ethnic hatred.{{cite web|url=http://www.hotelslaevi.com/en/o48/5749.html|title=Russian Scientists ask to check Kiselev|access-date=14 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419164445/http://www.hotelslaevi.com/en/o48/5749.html|archive-date=19 April 2014|url-status=dead}}

Gallery

File:Марш за мир и свободу, за Украину (1).webm|Anti-war demonstrations on 15 March 2014. Sight from the inside.

File:March of Peace (2014-03-15, Moscow), occupation of the Crimea is a shame of Russia.jpg|Protesters holding a banner saying: occupation of the Crimea is a shame of Russia

File:Марш мира Москва 21 сент 2014 L1460522.jpg|Protest in Moscow, 21 September 2014

File:Марш мира Москва 21 сент 2014 L1450083.jpg|Protest in Moscow, 21 September 2014

File:Марш за мир и свободу (7).jpg|Irina Prokhorova with Andrey Makarevich

File:Professor Andrei Zubov at anti-war congress 1.JPG|Professor Andrey Zubov speaking at the anti-war congress in Moscow

References

External links

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPEqAF0_7IU March of Peace in Moscow (full version)]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqj06QeT66w March of Peace in Moscow]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwqFt0cw_5o March of Peace in Moscow]

=Articles=

[http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/thousands-attend-anti-war-rally/496233.html Thousands Attend Anti-War Rally]
[http://in.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-russia-rallies-idINL6N0MC0JC20140315 Ukraine crisis triggers Russia's biggest anti-Putin protest in two years] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622232507/https://in.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-russia-rallies-idINL6N0MC0JC20140315 |date=22 June 2020 }}
[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-russia-rallies-idUSBREA2E0H820140315 Muscovites march for and against Putin's Crimean policies]
[http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d9994cba-ac4e-11e3-b510-00144feab7de.html Thousands attend Putin protest rally in Moscow]
[http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-crimea-rally-moscow/25298167.html Tens Of Thousands Rally In Russia, Ukraine Ahead Of Referendum]