Russian attack HS asked Muscovites about Russia’s actions, many said they were ashamed: “People are suffering from these decisions here and there.”

Moscow / Helsinki

Muscovites woke up on Thursday morning to shocking news, like so many others. Russia carried out its long-established and feared new attack on Ukraine early Thursday morning.

Most of the Muscovites interviewed by the HS in the Kitai-gorod district on Thursday said they were ashamed of the Russian regime and opposed to the war in Ukraine. Many shouted their opinions, but refused to talk about the topic in public with the name and picture in the Finnish media.

Composer Alina Matviyenko36, compared the actions of the Russian government to an alcoholic who can’t stop drinking.

“When I start doing some weird shit, one easily thinks‘ why would I stop, keep going ’. This is a cumulative effect. Like an alcoholic who drinks, drinks and drinks, and then does drunk doing what hurts. When people do strange things long enough, they can’t stop. ”

He said he had performed in Kiev four years ago and could not have believed that the war would reach Kiev.

“I am ashamed. Shame on Russia. It is a shame that we are to blame. Civil society is responsible for political decisions. People suffer from these decisions here and there. ”

Content Manager Marija Kazak, 24, was also appalled. He, too, did not spare profanity in describing his feelings.

“We have a totalitarian regime. The situation has long developed into a situation where it is impossible to find a way out other than by being against everyone and punishing some non-existent power. ”

“I am deeply ashamed of our administration. It is a real shame that, as a young Russian woman, I am not proud of my country, but a regime of shame. It is really sad.”

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov justified Russia’s attack on Thursday, saying it aims to “liberate” Ukraine by clearing the country of the Nazis.

From the people the majority were already against the war, not the president Vladimir Putin the two fire speeches he gave this week – the most recent of which he gave on Thursday morning – have just failed to convince them.

Kazak did not believe the government’s talk of “self-defense”. He said citizens had suffered from Russia’s actions even before Thursday’s attack. The ruble depreciated further after the attack. Food prices are already high.

“There’s going to be nothing to eat like this – we’re living even worse. We have tolerated the situation and will continue to do so because people have not stepped out and said anything. ”

Blogger Alexander Rachmanov, 25, thought in the morning he first read the fake news. He still had a hard time believing in the Russian invasion and war in Ukraine. He feared that development in Russia would come to a halt for years, if not decades.

“I already spend quite a bit of time in Russia. I really don’t want to live here. In June, I would have an interview for a U.S. visa, but now I don’t even know if they’ll grant it to me. ”

Engineer, builder Alexander Kryushkov56, said he was opposed to the war, but he said it was right for Putin to recognize the independence of the “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk.

“These republics themselves decided they did not want to belong to Ukraine. They should have been recognized a long time ago. Incomprehensible that they stretched [itsenäisyyden tunnustamista] so long.”

“Wars would not have been worth it. There will be deaths, and people will remember it for a long time. The peoples of Ukraine and Russia are in dispute. ”

Kryuchkov estimates that Russia ended the offensive to defend its own interests. He said the military alliance NATO had expanded too close to Russia’s borders, so Russia had to somehow defend itself.

Seller Lyudmila46, questioned Russia’s involvement in Thursday’s events.

“How did you hear that Russia was attacking Ukraine?” he asked.

Lyudmila did not want to say her last name. He is critical of the media.

“The media can now tell anything. I haven’t seen this myself or heard from my relatives because they don’t live there – thank God – so my opinion is neutral. ”

In addition to President Putin, he is also the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi spoke at night for the Russians. Zelenskyi appealed in Russian that Kiev did not need a “cold, hot or hybrid war”. He said the Ukrainians want peace.

Lyudmila said she watched Zelensky’s speech, which had made her even more confused.

“I can’t understand what’s going on. Here in Russia, we are told that we are protecting the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics because they have asked for help. ”

A demonstration against the war will be held in Moscow at 6 pm Finnish time, as in many other Russian cities.

The demonstration had been discussed in a joint Whatsapp group of residents of Lyudmila’s home. Opinions are reportedly divided, but many of the neighbors were going to demonstrate.