On 9th of March, along with the traditional Food Not Bombs action,
demonstration “Against the war in Ukraine” supposed to happen in
Petrozavodsk, for a peaceful solution of tense situation there and
prevention of bloodshed continuation.
On 8th of March evening, two organizers of the demo and one of their
friend were attacked. Two cars arrived and a dozen strong men in masks
immediately went to a fight. They were screaming “You f*cking want to
give away our Crimea to Bandera people?”, “You will learn how to
demonstrate, ***” and so on. After a quick but technical execution
attackers got straight back into cars and drove away.
The next morning, half an our before the demo, while leaving the house
after cooking for Food Not Bombs four participants of the action and the
demo were again attacked by unidentified masked men, beaten again and
pushed into two cars and driven away. As it became known later they were
taken to a forest, 40-45 km from the city. On the way they were told by
attackers that they are going to dig their graves, all the way they were
being beaten and abused. After arrival victims were taken out from the
car one by one in different places(each one was followed by 3-4 masked
people and after this car drove some distance), again beaten up and
abused. Police batons and wrapped in polyethylene chains were used.
Attackers were threatening to cripple or kill.
Meanwhile, some unknown people came to the demo with provocative signs,
irrelevant to the demonstration topic, made a photo and fled away, so
the breakdown of the demo was clearly planned. Participants of the
event, as well as other social activists, have very reason to fear for