Thousands demonstrate in Ukraine against possible Russian invasion
Thousands of Ukrainians with their country’s flag marched through central Kiev on Saturday to show their unity as Washington intensified its warnings of an imminent Russian invasion.
“Panic is useless. We must unite and fight for independence,” said student Maria Shcherbenko on Saturday, expressing a sentiment similar to that voiced by Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the day.
“I remain calm. I love Ukraine,” she said as the sun briefly peeked through the clouds on a blustery day.
Novosilsky’s family, who came to demonstrate with her daughters, Zoryana (7) and Roma (4), who were waving the Ukrainian flag, said, “We are here to show that we are not afraid”.
Yet they take the threats seriously: “They have finally bought fire extinguishers, light bulbs, and supplies, and they have made a plan to flee to shelters near their home and workplace”.
On the beat of the national anthem “We will sacrifice the soul and body for our freedom…”, the demonstration started from the red building of the Chevtchenk National University and ended in Independence Square, the center of two pro-Western revolutions in 2005 and 2014.
The demonstrators chanted “Ukraine is united”, “glory to the homeland, death to the enemies” and “Ukrainians will resist”.
Signs pointed to Ukraine’s NATO membership, while Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has amassed more than 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border, is demanding a guarantee that this will never happen to de-escalate.
