A government-led event celebrating Russia's eight years since the annexation of Crimea in southern Ukraine will take place in various parts of Russia on the 18th, appealing internally and externally that the military invasion of Ukraine is widely supported by the people. It seems that there is an aim.
Of these, in Vladivostok in the Far East, more than 1,000 people gathered in the city center, and participants raised the flag of Russia and the flag of the eastern part of Ukraine, which Russia unilaterally approved as an independent state, "for Russia". I marched along the coast with a voice saying.
A woman in her thirties who participated said, "I came to support President Putin and the residents of the eastern region. We are in a difficult time and need support."
A man in his 60s also claimed, "I'm proud. The majority support Putin. I thought I'd convince anyone to oppose it, but no one." I did.
In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the central city of Sakhalin Oblast, about 40 cars marked with a "Z", which is a symbol supporting military invasion in Russia, run in the city center under the guidance of the authorities. I did.
After that, people gathered in the park and repeatedly shouted "Russia" to call for unity.
On the other hand, some of the participants said, "My grandmother is from the eastern region and it really hurts me. I don't support military operations. I came to support soldiers, not military operations." Some people hoped that the soldiers would return to their families as soon as possible.
The Putin administration seems to have the aim of appealing both inside and outside the country that the military invasion of Ukraine is widely supported by the people by holding events in various parts of Russia.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Resigned from Foundation Representative Remarks Against Military Invasion
Mr. Dvorkovich, who was once the deputy prime minister of Russia's Putin administration, resigned as the representative of the "Scorkovo Foundation", an organization responsible for promoting the development of technological innovations of the Russian government, and the remarks against the military invasion of Ukraine influenced It is believed to be a thing.
The Foundation announced on the 18th that Mr. Dvorkovich will resign as representative and concentrate on developing educational projects.
"War is the worst thing I face in my life, and so is this war," he said in an interview with an American magazine on the 14th of this month, criticizing the military invasion of Ukraine. The thoughts are in the endangered Ukrainian people. "
In response to this statement, an executive of the ruling party said, "It is a betrayal to the nation and is nothing but the action of the" fifth column "that the president touched on." , Was appealing for the dismissal of the representative of the Foundation.
President Putin said on the 16th of this month, "Europe and the United States are aiming to destroy Russia using the'fifth column'. If you are a real Russian, you can say true patriots and traitors, flies in your mouth. It can be distinguished as if it were spit out, "he said, expressing his intention to further strengthen domestic information control.
Mr. Dvorkovich was Deputy Prime Minister under Putin's administration for six years until 2018, and has also participated in ice hockey events in which President Putin participated, along with other aides.