We appeal to those Russian servicemen who are now fighting in Ukraine and to those servicemen who work in the strategic nuclear units that Putin has put on high alert.
We appeal to you to stop this fratricidal war and prevent a world and nuclear war.
Maybe not everybody in Russia has understood what is going on yet. But you – those who are fighting in Ukraine – see it with your own eyes. You see that a foreign country has been attacked. You see that you are being forced to kill both Russians and Ukrainians for the glory of the man sitting in the bunker.
We do not rule out that tomorrow you will be ordered to use tactical nuclear weapons on Ukrainian cities. Stop! Do not carry out a criminal order!
Putin is not fighting a war for Russia. He is waging it for Putin. For his palaces. For his wounded ego. For his absolute power. For his idea of what is real, which is very far from genuine reality.
You see with your own eyes that everything Putin’s propaganda has told you is a monstrous lie. You see that you are not fighting against “Nazis” and “Banderovites”, but against the people. For Ukraine, this is a Patriotic War. It’s not just those who speak Ukrainian who are fighting you, but also those who speak Russian. Russians living in Ukraine are fighting you.
Putin has already lost this war. Things have not gone according to plan. The Ukrainian people are more united than ever. The world is united in its support for Ukraine and in its absolute condemnation of Putin. Now he has started carpet bombing Ukrainian cities. Soon he will use nuclear weapons.
If this war is not stopped, the word “Russian” will be covered with shame and the irreversible hatred between Ukrainians and Russians will last for generations. After the missiles have rained down people on both sides will turn into beasts.
Those of you who are not afraid, take to the streets. Those who are afraid – resist with words. If Putin is not stopped, not only Ukraine, but also Russia will die.
Don’t follow criminal orders.
Don’t kill Ukrainians.
Don’t destroy the future of Russia.
Don’t destroy planet Earth.
Members of the Russian Anti-War Committee:
- Mikhail Khodorkovsky, philanthropist
- Garry Kasparov, politician, 13th world chess champion
- Sergey Aleksashenko, economist
- Sergey Guriev, economist
- Yuri Pivovarov, historian, member of Russian Academy of Sciences
- Yevgeny Kiselyov, journalist
- Vladimir Kara-Murza, politician, historian
- Dmitry Gudkov, politician
- Boris Zimin, entrepreneur
- Yevgeny Chichvarkin, entrepreneur
- Viktor Shenderovich, writer
- Yulia Latynina, writer, journalist