Russians in Korea unite against Putin's war on Ukraine

Russian residents stage a rally in front of Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno District, Seoul, Sunday, protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Yonhap

Protests held in Korea lambasting Russian leader

By Lee Hyo-jin

Anti-government protests in Russia are rare, as the authoritarian regime does not tolerate expression of dissent against the Kremlin. However, President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has immediately provoked strong backlash among Russian citizens.

Mass demonstrations erupted across Russia over the weekend, where people protested against what the Russian government called a "special military operation" aimed at the "denazification and demilitarization" of its neighboring country.

Joining their brave actions were Russian residents in Korea, who staged an anti-war rally in front of Bosingak Pavilion in Seoul, Sunday.

Only 20 people were scheduled to take part in the event, but to the surprise of the rally's organizers, over 100 Russians gathered, holding placards reading, "We say no to the war," "Stand with Ukraine" and "Stop Russian Aggressor Adolf Putin ― Hands off Ukraine."

"This is the first demonstration I've ever participated in in my life. I couldn't just sit and do nothing while innocent people are dying because of my country," said a Russian student living in Seoul.

A participant of an anti-war rally organized by Russian residents holds a placard reading, "I am a Russian and I oppose the war." Yonhap

She spoke on condition of anonymity as Russian citizens were warned by their government recently that "negative comments" about Putin's invasion of Ukraine would be treated as "treason."

"It is unacceptable to launch an attack on another sovereign state and use nuclear threats in the 21st century. I'm ashamed of my country and I can't help but feel responsible for the actions of our government. But at the same time, we are the victims of Putin's war, too," she said, explaining that a wide range of sanctions imposed by Western countries are already affecting daily life for Russian citizens.

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Less than a week after Russian forces launched the invasion, the country has been slapped with a flurry of economic and diplomatic sanctions, prompting the ruble to nosedive to a record low.

"Yesterday, my grandmother stood in the line at a cash machine for several hours to withdraw money, but she couldn't. Moscow residents were told they might not be able to use bank-issued cards to pay public transport fares because of sanctions on banks. It's chaos," the student said.

"I'm worried that things will only get worse by the time I have to go back to Russia after I finish my study here in a few months. But I wonder if it's even worth it to return at all if Putin is still in power," she added.

Another Russian resident who joined Sunday's rally, who also requested anonymity, said, "We decided to take action, as it is important to let people know that we are also the victims of Putin's war. Nobody wanted this. Putin does not represent us."

She added, "It is our responsibility to tell people the truth about this military aggression. State media in Russia is just propaganda, they filter the truth about the war. They even refuse to call it a 'war.' Independent media are strictly banned from using other sources than the government when reporting about the 'special military operation.'"

She said the Russian community in Korea plans to hold rallies every weekend in March, and potentially even longer depending on how the situation develops.

A Russian resident in Korea participates in a rally in front of Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno District, Seoul, Sunday, protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Yonhap

Ilya Belyakov, a naturalized Korean citizen from Russia and a TV personality, also stood up against the Putin regime.

Ilya Belyakov, a naturalized Korean citizen from Russia and a TV personality / Korea Times file

"To put it bluntly, asking me why I don't support Putin is like asking why I don't support Hitler," he said during a phone interview with The Korea Times. "War cannot be justified by any reason. I support the Ukrainian people who are the victims of the military aggression."

Belyakov added that Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine is reckless.

"It was a crazy thing to do for Putin, who is a cunning and calculated, yet reasonable person," Belyakov said.

When asked what could be next for Putin and Russia, he said, "I think it depends on what Putin is seeking to achieve through this. It could be anything; whether it is 'denazification' in Ukraine as he officially announced, or to kill President Zelenskyy, or to start a war with Western countries. Nobody knows what's going on inside his head."

He added, "But one thing remains clear at this moment: The war should stop to prevent needless deaths and suffering."