Ukraine conflict: Russian resistance to aggressive war grows – arrests, interrogations and censorship

Created: 03/03/2022, 22:49

By: Tanja Koch

In Moscow, police forces arrest Russians who were protesting against the Ukraine war.

© Denis Kaminev/dpa

Russia continues to take action against anyone who publicly criticizes the Ukraine war: with bans, detentions and interrogations at airports.

Moscow/Saint Petersburg – Despite censorship and a ban on demonstrations, the media and people in Russia continue to protest against Vladimir Putin*'s war in Ukraine.

According to nypost.de, on Wednesday evening (March 2, 2022), emergency services again arrested anti-war demonstrators in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. 

Amnesty International has expressed concern over reports of censorship and the breakup of anti-war protests in Russia.

In the first days of the invasion of Ukraine, Russian police used violence against nationwide anti-war protests.

Amnesty criticized those who spoke out publicly against the Russian invasion of Ukraine as being "persecuted".

Media regulators ban terms such as "invasion" or "declaration of war" in reports on the Ukraine conflict

The Russian media supervisory authority had instructed the media to only use information from official state sources when reporting on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the human rights organization said on Monday (February 28, 2022) in Berlin.

Anyone who defies this order must expect their website to be blocked and a fine to be imposed.

The media regulator banned Russian media from using the terms “attack”, “invasion” or “declaration of war” in their reports on the Ukraine conflict*.

References to civilians killed by Russian soldiers must also be deleted.

The Russian government has described the war of aggression against Ukraine ordered by President Vladimir Putin as a “special military operation” to “keep the peace”.

The Russian newspaper group VK-media has now apparently disregarded these requirements.

As reported by newsweek.com, these issues published with clear criticism of the Ukraine war: "This madness must be stopped" was written on the cover of the Wednesday issues (02/22/2022) of Vecherniy Krasnoturinsk, Vecherniy Karpinsk, Pro Severouralsk and Globus

Russia continues to take action against criticism of the Ukraine war

However, the Russian authorities are strictly against any criticism of the invasion.

For example, Moscow banned the independent broadcasters Echo Moskvy and Dozhd in connection with reporting on Russia's war.

“The news from Russia* is grim.

7,032 Russians are in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine.

Long lines form at ATMs.

Europe and the United States are closing the skies to Russian flights.

The stock exchange is closed.

Much of the world condemned the war.

And now President Vladimir Putin is pulling the plug on independent news so Russians don't find out.

(...) What it really means is that Putin's regime has criminalized the truth and doesn't want Russians to know it.

(…),” commented the Washington Post.

Officials interrogate Russians before leaving the country about the Ukraine war

who

who currently wants to leave Russia must be prepared for lengthy interrogations, as The Moscow Times explains, citing the Russian-language medium MediaZona.

At least two men said their smartphones and laptops were checked.

"When I was released (after 7 hours of interrogation) I was told that most likely I would not be allowed out of the country," the Moscow Times quotes Vyacheslav Ustenko as saying.

The 21-year-old was insulted and humiliated by an alleged agent of the security service.

"He said I was an anarchist, a traitor and I was going to Ukraine* to fight," allegedly on the Kiev side, he was quoted as saying.

Journalists in particular would find it difficult to leave the Lang at the moment.

In addition, recommendations are circulating in online chats to name a holiday as a reason for travel, to provide proof of a return flight ticket, to comment neutrally on the Ukraine war and to delete the messenger Telegram.

(Tanja Koch with dpa/afp)