“Stop War, stop Poutine” (Stop the war, stop Poutine), “Nato act” (Nato, act), “Europe do more” (Europe, do more), “Peace for Ukrainian People” (Peace for the Ukrainian people), "Evacuate the refugees", could be read on the placards brandished by the demonstrators, invited on the initiative of associations or by ordinary citizens, while fighting is taking place in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, on the third day of the launch of an invasion of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Read alsoKiev at the heart of the fighting, the images of this new day of Russian offensive
In Marseille, twinned with Odessa (south-western Ukraine), Mayor Benoît Payan adorned the facade of the town hall on Thursday with the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine, which flies alongside the French flags , European and Marseille.
People at the demonstration against the war in Ukraine in #Marseille: withdrawal of Russian troops!
pic.twitter.com/PevV1zBQtm
— Hendrik davi (@hendrik_davi) February 26, 2022
"We are all in shock, we are just trying to understand, my family is bombarded, nowadays, it seems so improbable", confides to AFP Ludmila Tonka Fannière, 31, Ukrainian living in France for 11 years and wearing her hair. with a crown of flowers typical of her country.
"Defending Ukraine is defending Europe, France"
“I came because it is important for the French to be present: to defend Ukraine is to defend Europe, France, democracy and it is to put a stop to Putin who is outside of all the treaties international,” explained Olivier Baudry, 62.
He adds: “We can't let it happen, we are really on the verge of a war in Europe”.
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: "We don't want this war, it doesn't make sense!"
proclaim the demonstrators in Paris
Among the 250 demonstrators who gathered in Montpellier at the end of the morning, singing the Ukrainian anthem, Edgar Parant, 21, a law student, believes that "Putin is rotten".
“What he is doing today in Kiev, he can do again tomorrow in Warsaw or Bucharest.
It repels me as much as it frightens me!
“, adds the young man.
Between 300 and 400 people gathered in Clermont in support of #ukraine and say no to war pic.twitter.com/x0zi7E1Gj9
- France Bleu Pays d'Auvergne (@FBAuvergne) February 26, 2022
Hundreds of people also gathered in Saint-Étienne, Clermont-Ferrand and Laval.
A rally in support of the Ukrainian people is also planned for this Saturday at 3 p.m. in Paris.