The brave move of the Smolninsky district council provoked a predictably swift and hostile reaction. A day after the anti-Putin resolution was made public, a local police department told lawmakers they were facing legal charges “for actions aimed at discrediting the current Russian government.” The regional council’s statement came in the form of a request to Russia’s parliament, the State Duma, and argued that Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine on February 24 led to a massive loss of life, turned countless Russian men into disabled veterans, prevented national economy and rapid eastward expansion of NATO. A second city council in Moscow’s Lomonosov district followed suit and passed a similar motion calling on Putin to step down. Outspoken criticism of Putin is rare, and while the two moves were little more than token statements, they represented a notable public rebuke. They also served as evidence that public support for the war in Ukraine is not universal and could be eroding as a recent survey of Russian public opinion found. Russians support war in Ukraine, but report finds notable opposition “We believe that the decision taken by President Putin to launch the special military operation is detrimental to the security of Russia and its citizens,” the Smolninsky document filed Wednesday night said. “We ask you,” the lawmakers wrote, “to bring charges of treason against the president of the Russian Federation to remove him from office.” Putin grew up in the Smolninsky neighborhood and began his career in St. Petersburg, where he served as deputy mayor. Many of the Russian president’s closest friends still live in St. Petersburg, where some of them have become fabulously rich during Putin’s 22 years as the country’s supreme leader. The State Duma is controlled by Putin’s United Russia party and is effectively his rubber stamp, occasionally adopting his policies by unanimous vote. The authors of the resolution admitted that they had little hope that their request would be carried out, but that they believed they had largely achieved their symbolic goal: to let other anti-war Russians know that they are not alone in their sentiment, which is often drowned out by militarism. rhetoric of the state, echoed by propagandists on state-controlled television. The Kremlin has outlawed criticism of the war and launched a further crackdown on dissent, including journalists. “We understand that Putin will not shed a tear and stop the operation,” Nikita Yuferev, one of seven city councilors who drafted the document, told the Washington Post. “These requests are written for people who are still in Russia and whom the propaganda is trying to assure that they are the minority, that there are no people who are against it.” The Lomonosov district statement criticized Putin’s rhetoric and urged him to take sides. “The rhetoric used by you and your subordinates is full of bigotry and aggression,” the statement said. “People once again fear and hate Russia while we threaten the entire world with nuclear weapons.” Lomonosovsky District added: “Therefore, we ask you to be relieved of your duties, as your views and your governance model are hopelessly out of date.” Russia sentences researcher to 22 years in prison for ‘treason’ Yuferev said that after their request went viral on Russian social media, councilors received an “overflow” of letters of support from people offering everything from legal help to donations to cover the politicians’ likely fines. In March, Smolninsky’s advisers also wrote to Putin calling on him to end the war as “the fate of thousands of Russian servicemen and millions of Ukrainians is at stake.” Shortly after Russian troops marched across the border, the Kremlin stepped up its crackdown on its opponents, banning the use of the word “war” when talking about the invasion and threatening those who publicly criticize the Russian military with fines and imprisonment. terms. Thousands have fled the country and hundreds have been fined or detained for anti-war protests. While Putin is unlikely to face charges, lawmakers are already under pressure and face at least a fine. Just a day after the document was made public, Yuferev received a text message from a local police station ordering him to come to testify in proceedings against him and other council members “for actions aimed at discrediting the current Russian government ». “We are confident that we have not violated anything as we acted strictly according to the legal procedure written in the Constitution,” Yuferev said. “Of course, we live in a country where even if everything is done legally, but there is a desire to punish us, it will be done … but we can manage a fine of 50,000 rubles.” (At current exchange rates, the fine is about $850.)
War in Ukraine: What you need to know
The last: Grain shipments from Ukraine are being accelerated under the agreement reached by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations in July. Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports had sent food prices skyrocketing and raised fears of more famine in the Middle East and Africa. At least 18 ships, including cargoes of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, have departed. The battle: The conflict on the ground continues as Russia uses its heavy artillery advantage to pound Ukrainian forces, which have at times managed to put up stiff resistance. In the south, Ukraine’s hopes rest on the liberation of the Russian-held Kherson region, and eventually Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014. Fears of disaster at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain as both sides accuse each other of bombing it. . The weapons: Western arms supplies are helping Ukraine slow Russian advances. US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Missile Systems (HIMARS) allow Ukrainian forces to strike further behind Russian lines against Russian artillery. Russia has used a range of weapons against Ukraine, some of which have drawn the attention and concern of analysts. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground since the start of the war — here are some of their strongest works. How you can help: Here are ways those in the US can help support the Ukrainian people as well as the donations people have made around the world. Read his full coverage Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video.
