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The Tribunal for Putin (T4P) global initiative was set up in response to the all-out war launched by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022.

‘Cities speak’ — Digest of Russian Protests

04.02.2023    available: Українською
Memorial volunteers

Одна з антивоєнних робіт студентів Академії мистецтв імені Рєпіна, фото: Бумага One of the anti-war works of students of the Repin Academy of Arts

One of the anti-war works of students of the Repin Academy of Arts

Students from the St Petersburg Academy of Arts paint anti-war works, rather than pictures on the topic ‘Donbas’ or ‘Soldier’s Mother’. People continue to bring flowers to spontaneous memorials in honour of those killed in Dnipro, while anti-war graffiti and stickers appear on Russian city streets.


Memorials to the victims of the missile strike in Dnipro

People in various Russian cities are continuing to bring flowers, toys and apples in memory of the residents of the Dnipro tower block killed by a Russian missile attack on 14 January. Spontaneous memorials appear at monuments to Lesya Ukrainka, Taras Shevchenko, Nikolai Gogol and at monuments to victims of political repression.

Journalist Aleksandr Pliushchev continues to publish photos on his Telegram channel, as well as reports from his subscribers in various parts of Russia. 

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Челябінськ Chelyabinsk. Flowers and the sign ‘Dnipro 14.01.2023” at the monument ‘Mother, child and dove’

Chelyabinsk. Flowers and the sign ‘Dnipro 14.01.2023” at the monument ‘Mother, child and dove’

Тольятті. Пам’ятник жертвам політичних репресій Tolyatti, Samara oblast. Monument to the victims of political repression

Tolyatti, Samara oblast. Monument to the victims of political repression

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Karpinsk, Sverdlovsk oblast. Flowers and a sign ‘Dnipro. 14.01.23. Ukraine. 24.02.22’ at the Chapel to Simeon of Verkhoturye

Karpinsk, Sverdlovsk oblast. Flowers and a sign ‘Dnipro. 14.01.23. Ukraine. 24.02.22’ at the Chapel to Simeon of Verkhoturye
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Orenburg. Monument ‘Good Angel of Peace’

Orenburg. Monument ‘Good Angel of Peace’

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Перм Perm. The words read ‘Peace to Ukraine, Freedom for Russia’; ‘No to war’; ‘Do not be silent’; ‘This is happening, do not close your eyes”; “Each day of your silence means Urainian civilians killed”; “Violence is not a solution”; “The people are the power.”

Perm. The words read ‘Peace to Ukraine, Freedom for Russia’; ‘No to war’; ‘Do not be silent’; ‘This is happening, do not close your eyes”; “Each day of your silence means Urainian civilians killed”; “Violence is not a solution”; “The people are the power.”

Perm.  The words read ‘Peace to Ukraine, Freedom for Russia’; ‘No to war’; ‘Do not be silent’; ‘This is happening, do not close your eyes”; “Each day of your silence means Urainian civilians killed”; “Violence is not a solution”; “The people are the power.”

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Nizhny Tagil. Ural

Pliushchev’s subscriber writes:

“My friend and I made a memorial in memory of those killed at the sculpture ‘Family’.

There are no words to express the sorrow and pain.

Ukrainians, you are an incredible people! 

I know that this is impossible to forgive.

Forgive us if you can.
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Nizhny Tagil. Ural

Vologda, North-Western Russia. Monument to the victims of political repression

Yekaterinburg, Ural. Sculpture ‘Faith, Hope, Love’. The words on the sign read: ‘Dnipro 14.01.23. Ukraine’

Yekaterinburg, Ural. Sculpture ‘Faith, Hope, Love’. The words on the sign read: ‘Dnipro 14.01.23. Ukraine’

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Казань, пам’ятник жертвам політичних репресій Kazan: Monument to victims of political repression

Kazan: Monument to victims of political repression

In Kazan, Tatarstan, Memorial at the Monument to the victims of political repression was reinstated after it was demolished by the authorities. Photo of the tower block in Dnipro, its residents and the signs: ‘Dnipro 14.01.23’, ‘Kazan grieves’ [photo from the personal correspondence of the digest’s compiler]

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In Tver on 21 January Yelena G. was detained after being denounced by a local official and had a protocol drawn up on a charge of discrediting the army because of her laying flowers in memory of those killed by Russia’s missile attack in Dnipro.  Yelena arrived at the monument with a female friend who received a police summons.

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The Telegram Channel Svodka Material has gathered together in one post all the known memorials as of 22.01.23  in memory of the tragedy in Dnipro on 14 January.  New photos of memorials are published by the Vesna movement

Single-person pickets against the war

In Moscow the police detained LGBT activist from Kazan Sasha Kosareva because of a ribbon in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

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On 22 January, Yekaterina Kotsar, who had gone onto Red Square with a placard reading ‘No to war!” was detained.

Катерина Коцар, Москва Yekaterina Kotsar

Yekaterina Kotsar

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Yekaterina Varenyk, who was detained on 21 January at a solitary picket by the monument to Lesya Ukrainka in Moscow was jailed by the court for 12 days and fined.

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On 21 January, Anton Ivanchenko, a student, was detained outside the administration building in Tyumen for a single-person picket with a placard reading ‘I am for peace, labour, May”. 

Anton Ivanchenko

Anton Ivanchenko

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Zuflat Gafarov from Yekaterinburg had administrative charges laid against him for ‘discrediting the Russian army’ over an anti-war picket. 

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In Krasnoyarsk, on 28 January, the police detained Yevgeny Yefremov who was standing in an underpass with a placard reading “Dnipro. Children”. 

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In Saratov, by the administration building, the police detained  Ulugbek Shoimaidanov with a placard reading ‘’NO TO .AR”. 

Ulugbek Shoimaidanov

Ulugbek Shoimaidanov

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Outside Gostinny Dvor in St Petersburg, Alevtina Valsilyeva was detained while standing with a placard reading “No to war”.

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Селище Невська Дубровка Ленінградської області Single person picket outside the administration building in Nevskaya Dubrovka (Leningrad oblast) with a placard saying ‘Putin. War Criminal”

Single person picket outside the administration building in Nevskaya Dubrovka (Leningrad oblast) with a placard saying ‘Putin. War Criminal”

Protests on social media 

In Lipetsk oblast a court twice fined local resident Andrei Shipov 30 thousand roubles on the administrative charge of ‘discrediting the Russian army’ because of comments on the Telegram channel newspaper ‘Donskiye vesti”

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In Kursk, criminal proceedings were initiated against Yevgeny Babich on a charge of ‘fakes motivated by political hatred’ over a video on YouTube where he condemned the war against Ukraine. 

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A court in Yekaterinburg has imposed a 30 thousand rouble fine on Igor Pushkarev, a former journalist from Znak.com and director of the city history museum.  He was prosecuted on a charge of ‘discrediting the Russian army’ for a Facebook post with the words ‘No to war’. Friends of Pushkarev reported that the denunciation against him was written by the owner of the so-called ‘Wagner private military company’, Yevgeny Prigozhin. The latter asked the Mayor of Yekaterinburg to fire Pushkarev from his post as museum director. 

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A court in Arkhangelsk has fined local resident Yevgeny Orlov 30 thousand under the same charge of ‘discrediting the Russian army’. The police assert that Orlov published two posts on his VKontakte social media page.  One was on the essence of fascism, the other – on 100 days of the war. 

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Chelyabinsk pensioner Nadezhda Vertyakhovskaya was fined 40 thousand roubles on a charge of ‘discrediting the Russian army’ through a video in which she expressed her view on the war and the political situation in Russia. 

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Criminal proceedings have been initiated against a resident of Vladikavkaz on a charge of repeated ‘discrediting of the Russian army’ over her comments on the war and on mobilization. 

Artists against the war

Actor Dmitry Nazarov, who has spoken out against the war in Ukraine, has been removed from his role as Kisa Vorobianikov in the new film version of ‘The Twelve Chairs’.

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At the beginning of 2023 students from the Repin Academy of Arts were asked to paint pictures on one of the topics: ‘Donbas’; ‘A soldier’s mother’; ‘I live in Russia’ or ‘The life of the Academy’.  Most chose the topic of war and painted anti-war pictures. The results were presented at an exhibition and were then widely circulated on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram channels. Later a report on the artists and their anti-war works appeared in ‘Bumaga’, while photographs of the works were published by ‘Kholod’ and ‘The Village’. 

Одна з антивоєнних робіт студентів Академії мистецтв імені Рєпіна, фото: Бумага One of the anti-war works of students of the Repin Academy of Arts

One of the anti-war works of students of the Repin Academy of Arts

Persecution for words

A 16-year-old school student from Nizhny Novgorod is facing administrative proceedings under the article on ‘discrediting the Russian army’.  It is alleged that at school he shouted “If I go to fight, I’ll go to fight for Ukraine.  You are all brainwashed here”.

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In Saratov a court has fined a doctor for a conversation with colleagues about the war.   According to the court, Selimat Aslanov, while in a room for staff members, spoke out against mobilization and the war against Ukraine. 

“Cities speak”

“Cities speak’ is how a young woman from St Petersburg has called stories on Instagram where she publishes her photos with anti-war graffiti and stickers which she encountered.

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A father of two has been fined in Kabansk (Buryatia).  According to the FSB, the 40-year-old wrote in green paint ‘No to war’ on a children’s institution.

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Перм говорить Perm speaks (“We’re against the war”)

Perm speaks (“We’re against the war”)

Новосибірськ говорить Novosibirsk speaks

Novosibirsk speaks

Sochi speaks

Sochi speaks

“If you noticed this – you’ll notice the war”

“If you noticed this – you’ll notice the war”


The report was prepared by Memorial volunteers from information in SOTA, OVD-Info; 7x7 Horizontal Russia; Feminist Anti-War Resistance; Aktivatika and other sources.

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