Thousands of Russians bravely
demonstrated their opposition to Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine at a
concert in St Petersburg.
Footage from the packed venue
shows the audience unanimously chanting ‘f*** the war’.
The defiant scene is thought
to have taken place at a show for the Russian band Kis-Kis on Friday night.
It comes after Russian singer
Yuri Shevchuk, from the 1980s band DDT, was charged with ‘discrediting’ Putin’s
military for sharing his opposition to the war at his show last week.
The singer questioned Russia’s
action in Ukraine, asking thousands in the crowd what the president hoped to
achieve.
‘The people of Ukraine are
being murdered. For what?’ he was filmed saying.
‘Our boys are dying over
there. For what? What are the goals, my friends? For some Napoleonic plans of
another Caesar of ours.
‘The motherland, my friends,
is not the president’s ass that has to be slobbered and kissed all the time.’
Russian authorities reportedly
arrived at the venue and interrogated Shevchuk for over an hour after the show,
and contemplated detaining him.
If found guilty of
‘discrediting’ the Russian military, he faces a fine of up to 50,000 rubles
($800).
Shortly after Russian troops
moved in on Ukraine, Putin introduced new legislation targeting free speech,
which has seen opposition news outlets censored and individuals arrested at
rallies.
At least 2,000 people have
been fined and 133 others are facing prison time for their supposed
non-compliance.
