Russian Antiwar Activists Remember Navalny, Criticize Putin At Demonstration In Montenegro

Russians hold anti-war protest in Montenegro.

A group of Russian antiwar activists held a gathering in the Montenegrin city of Budva on August 18 in memory of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny and to express their opposition to Russia's war in Ukraine.

One of the organizers of the gathering, a man who identified himself only as Artem, said the demonstrators also wanted to show support for Russian political prisoners.

"We are here to pay respect to Navalny for everything he has done for our country and to say that we support Ukraine," he told RFE/RL.

Authorities allowed the gathering on the main square in Budva with the condition that there be no banners or musical performances, the organizers said. Some of those gathered ignored the condition and carried pictures of Navalny and banners saying "Russia without Putin, stop the war."

They also showed photos of 20 Russian political prisoners who they say were killed or died in prisons.

Navalny, the most prominent among them, had been convicted in trials that he and his associates judged to be politically motivated before he died on February 16 in a prison in Russia’s Arctic under suspicious circumstances. Many Russians living in Montenegro turned out then to pay their respects to him.

Those gathered on August 18 said there are still around 1,600 political prisoners in Russia, quoting data from the civil sector.

A protest participant who gave his name only as Vasily said he and the others wanted to assure them that they are not alone.

"We do not forget you and we are proud of you, [proud] of people who have the courage to publicly say what they think," Vasily told RFE/RL.

Vasily also said he believes that the only chance for change in his country is Putin's departure from the political scene.

Another participant, Russian dissident and artist Marat Gueljman, said that a change of government is the only hope for Russians in the country.

Gueljman said three years ago, Putin's power in Russia was "incredibly strong” and no one could have guessed then that the army of another country could be on Russian territory and that thousands of people would be in prison for opposing Putin.

"So, with this war, Putin made a mistake. No one can destroy the system better than the people who built it. Putin will destroy that system," Gueljman said.