Putin has unleashed a war against Ukraine. It is a crime against humanity, it is a grave criminal offence under the Russian law and it is a betrayal of Russian national interests.

But we need to be clear that it is Putin and his entourage who started the war in order to hold onto their power – not the Russian people. Unfortunately, the state and its security apparatus are under their control. Unleashing a war of aggression and using the armed forces for personal gain signifies that a junta led by Putin has seized power in Russia.

Anyone who, by word or deed, willingly assists the junta becomes a war criminal.

The war against Ukraine must be stopped at all costs. The war will be fatal for the development of Russian society and a critical factor for Russian statehood. Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons, clearly voiced in negotiations with the West, puts the whole world on the brink of disaster.

As a Russian citizen and a patriot, I consider it my duty to do everything to stop this unjust, aggressive, Imperialist war, and to have this shameful page of Russian history turned. It is the duty of every decent person to take part in the anti-war movement, to disobey the orders of the junta that contribute to the war.

Friends, compatriots, I urge you to use every opportunity to oppose this war.