Russian anti-war protestor: Arrest is worth it

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An anti-war protester in Moscow says the risk of arrest is worth it

As Russian troops intensify their assault on major Ukrainian cities, many people within Russia are choosing to speak out against the war.

The Russian independent human rights group OVD-Info reports that over 8,000 people have been arrested at anti-war protests across the country since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine last week.

Russia's legislature passed legislation Friday that imposes prison sentences of up to 15 years for those who criticize the war, which Russia's government only refers to as a "special operation." In response, the BBC and several other major news organizations stopped reporting in Russia.

Yulia Zhivtsova lives near Moscow and has been participating in the protests. She was already arrested by police once, at the very start of the protests. She insisted that NPR publish her full name, despite the potential threats to her safety.

"From what I've learned at school, when I was a child, we were always taught that Kyiv was the mother of all Russian cities ...," she said. "So it's quite a horrible thing to realize that one day you wake up, and your tanks are going into Kyiv. ... It's just like a very, very bad dream."

More at the link, including 6 minute audio interview: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/04/1084627201/one-russian-anti-war-protester-on-why-shes-risking-arrest-to-speak-out?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social

[AlexSFCA]

1. arrest is worth it but 15 years behind bars?