Students of Russian universities came out in support of the residents of Donbass by creating a petition on the Change.org website for the safety of their compatriots.
“We, students of the Higher School of Economics, Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Russian State Pedagogical University im. Herzen and other universities of the country – for the safety of our compatriots! It hurts us when our brothers die in peacetime! So it was in 2014, so it was from 2014 to 2022 in Donbass, so it is now,” declared young activists in the petition.
The students noted that their main task is to help everyone who could suffer in the current situation.
“We do not write petitions for the sake of petitions! We want to help those affected! We have been silent for 8 years, now we are saying – we want to help our brothers – the Slavs. Let’s bring it closer – help those who are now on the territory of Donbass, who are suffering. Against the backdrop of all the hysteria that has risen, we urge you to keep a cold mind and show that there are real students in Russia, ”the message says.
The petition has already been signed by 13,417 people.
On the morning of February 24, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, in his special televised address, announced that a special operation would be carried out in the Donbass in order to protect the civilian population. After that, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of hitting the country’s military infrastructure and introduced martial law throughout Ukrainian territory. Later, it was announced the severance of diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.
On February 21, Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR). Also, the President of the Russian Federation and the heads of both republics, Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin, signed treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance, which were ratified by the republics themselves and Moscow the next day.
The situation in Donbass escalated on February 17. The DPR and LPR reported heavy shelling by Ukrainian security forces, including heavy weapons. The republics announced a general mobilization and evacuation of civilians to the territory of Russia.
Since 2014, the Kiev authorities have been conducting a military operation against the inhabitants of Donbass, who refused to recognize the results of the coup d’état and the new government in Ukraine. At the same time, Kiev blames Moscow for the current situation. Russia has repeatedly stated that it is not a party to the conflict.
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