Ukrainians protest possible Russia war

A group of disabled Ukrainian veterans and pacifists have staged a peace rally in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, to protest against a potential war with neighboring Russia.

Nearly 3,000 protesters, including Paralympic champions, community activists, political statesmen as well as military veterans returning from the zone of conflict with pro-Russia forces in east Ukraine took part in the rally in the center of Kiev on Saturday to also call for an end to the fighting between Ukrainian troops and the pro-Russians, RIA Novosti reported.

The rally participants said continued armed clashes will only add to the number of disabled people in the community.

According to the report, police and representatives of Ukraine’s Security Service (SSU) brutally suppressed a “March of Peace” in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia.

“About 1,500 people came to Zaporizhia. They were not allowed to speak against war,” the report quoted Igor Sysoenko, the chairman of the non-government organization Youth, Society and Power, as saying. 

The five-month conflict in eastern Ukraine officially came to an end on September 5, since which time a shaky ceasefire has been holding.

Both sides, however, have accused the other of violating the ceasefire pact.

Fighting between Ukrainian military forces and pro-Russia groups has so far left at least 3,500 people dead.

MFB/HJL/SS