The authors of the statement note that the war does not meet the interests of Russia and threatens its existence.Andrei Makarevich signed an appeal against the war with Ukraine / photo from UNIAN

In Russia, they began to collect signatures against the war with Ukraine under an appeal to the political leadership of the Russian Federation.

Scientists, human rights activists, musicians and actors were the initiators and first signatories of the “Statement of peace supporters against the Party of War in the Russian leadership,” Ekho Moskvy writes .

The authors of the appeal note that no one asks Russian citizens, and only one point of view is presented on Russian state television, which forms hatred and aggression against Ukraine.

“Our position is extremely simple: Russia does not need a war with Ukraine and the West. No one threatens us, no one attacks us. A policy based on promoting the idea of ​​such a war is immoral, irresponsible and criminal, and cannot be conducted on behalf of the peoples of Russia. Such a war can have neither legitimate nor moral goals,” the statement reads.

The authors note that the war does not meet the interests of Russia and threatens its existence.

“The insane actions of the political leadership of the country, pushing us to this point, inevitably lead to the formation of a mass anti-war movement in Russia. Each of us naturally becomes a part of it. We will do our best to prevent, and if necessary, stop the war” , the statement says.

The text of the statement has been signed by: human rights activists Lev Ponomarev, Zoya Svetova, Svetlana Gannushkina; actress Liya Akhedzhakova ; musician Andrei Makarevich ; politicians Grigory Yavlinsky, Lev Shlosberg; publicist Andrei Piontkovsky; directors Garry Bardin, Vladimir Mirzoev, writer Viktor Shenderovich , poetess Veronika Dolina, historians Andrey Zubov, Boris Sokolov and others.

Possible escalation at the border

The Washington Post in the fall, referring to statements by its anonymous sources, wrote that Russia had resumed its military buildup on the border with Ukraine. In addition, videos began to appear on social networks with echelons of military equipment, in particular tanks and missiles, which are being transported to the southern and western regions of Russia. According to the newspaper, the United States and Europe paid attention to this after the completion of the Russian-Belarusian military exercises “West-2021”.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine then denied the information disseminated by The Washington Post about Russia’s buildup of military forces near the Ukrainian border. The data published in the media on the movement of Russian troops in the Ministry of Defense is called “an element of special information and psychological actions, which in fact are planned activities as part of the movement of troops after the completion of the exercises.”

Later, Politico published fresh satellite photos that confirm reports that Russia is once again concentrating troops and military equipment on the border with Ukraine.

Subsequently, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov, in an interview with the Military Times, said that Russia had concentrated 92,000 troops near the border with Ukraine and was preparing for an invasion in late January – early February 2022. Recently, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba said that Russia has deployed 115,000 troops near the borders of Ukraine .

According to the Financial Times, Western intelligence suggests “a high probability of destabilization” of Ukraine by Russia this winter.

Moscow denies accusations of preparing an attack on Ukraine and, on the contrary, points to the activation of NATO forces near the Russian borders.

(C)UNIAN 2022