In the early morning of 24 February 2022, Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine. That same day, unsanctioned street protests were held in many Russian cities. Due to the actions of the Russian police, which dispersed any gatherings, it is difficult to calculate exactly how many people took part in the anti-war protests. But the number of people detained is known: human rights organisation OVD-Info counted almost 2,000 people.
For comparison, when opposition leader Alexey Navalny was arrested in January 2021 – the largest unsanctioned protests in the history of independent Russia – OVD-Info reported that 3,893 people were detained. These figures show that many people in Russia came out against the war, but the number was still lower than a year ago. Most importantly, protest attendance did not correspond to the degree of indignation against Russia’s invasion expressed online.
Celebrities speak out
Even celebrities who are well integrated into Russian pop culture have published anti-war appeals online. Ever since the Kremlin took control of Russia’s airwaves in the early 2000s, TV presenters and artists have either shied away from political statements or, on the contrary, have demonstrated loyalty to the authorities, which has often been generously repaid. Their public condemnation of the war is indicative – it may be followed by ‘excommunication’ and the collapse of their careers.
