How was the Day of Russia in different countries of the world

One of the main holidays in Russia is celebrated on June 12. The world received it ambiguously – in some cities there were festive events, in others – protest actions.

On this day, President Vladimir Putin traditionally presented state awards in the Kremlin. The head of the Russian Federation delivered a welcoming speech:

“We are proud of the achievements and military victories of our ancestors, of all those who aspired and knew how to go forward, discover new things, achieve progressive development of the Fatherland, defend the Motherland in battles and assert its worthy role in the world.”

The holiday was celebrated in the capitals of the unrecognized Donbass republics and in the occupied territories of Ukraine, where it is planned to hold referendums on joining Russia. But, according to the Ukrainian media, the events were far from being approved everywhere: in Kherson, for example, only a few dozen people came to the concert.

Anti-war protests against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including with the participation of Russians, took place on Russia Day in dozens of cities around the world. And a poster with the inscription “This is not my day” appeared in the center of the Russian capital, near the building of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The world anti-war action of free Russians on Sunday, June 12, was organized by the joint efforts of diasporas in 30 countries of the world, the Russian diaspora in Warsaw reported. Her activists recalled that 32 years ago, on June 12, 1990, the Declaration of Sovereignty of Russia was adopted, in which the Russian state “undertook to respect democratic rights, freedoms, principles of international law and live with all countries and peoples in peace and harmony.” The statement emphasizes:

“32 years later, the Kremlin unleashed a criminal war against Ukraine, having previously suppressed democratic institutions in its own country. In the occupied territories of Ukraine, the Kremlin is going to hold a “Day of Russia” on a propaganda scale, denying the ideas of the document adopted on June 12. Therefore, Russians abroad are going to a global action, to recall the spirit of the Declaration of Sovereignty. Not to celebrate, but to fight – for a free Russia. Freedom from Putinism. Freedom for Ukraine. Freedom from propaganda.”

In Geneva, participants in an anti-war rally called for peace in Ukraine and freedom in Russia, says bb.lv In Latvia, the demonstrators came to the Russian Embassy in Riga with the flags of Ukraine, the Republic of Latvia, as well as white-blue-white flags. The global action took place in Australia and New Zealand. The Svoboda Alliance AU&NZ page, created by the Russian-speaking diaspora in Australia and New Zealand, states:

“Russians around the world took to the streets in more than 70 cities to oppose war, war crimes and the Putin regime. Together with Ukraine these days, we oppose the fascist ideology of the “Russian world” and call on the world to do everything to stop this madness as soon as possible.”

After the anti-war action of the Russians, according to a representative of the Russian-speaking diaspora, its participants joined the Ukrainian rally to support them in the struggle for freedom and common democratic values:

“The 21st century should be the century of recognizing the rights of ethnic groups. I believe that Putin’s fascist regime will fall. And I believe that the history of the prison of nations will end, and Russia will turn into a confederation of independent peoples and never again become a totalitarian state.”

A protester in Auckland says:

“There were 25-30 of us, including two Dutch people who came to our rally on purpose. Many passers-by took pictures of us, stopped to say words of support and even hugged us. Everything went very peacefully, without any excesses. We were also filmed by an independent journalist, who makes his film.

Uliana Yudovina, Svoboda Alliance coordinator in Brisbane, says that rallies were held in almost all major cities of Australia and New Zealand: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Dunedou village, Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin. In Sydney, the action had about 40 participants, in Wellington – about ten, in Adelaide – 25, in Melbourne – 18.

Actions against the war in Ukraine were also held in Yerevan, Vienna, Prague, Helsinki, Tbilisi, Paris, Strasbourg, Milan, Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Madrid, Stockholm, Washington, New York, Seattle and San Francisco. In Germany, rallies were held in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Göttingen, Heidelberg and Munich.

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