Demonstrations were registered this Saturday in Washington DC to ask for more help from Ukraine and to cry out against the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin.
Hundreds of people gathered at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, and it was convened with a dozen Ukrainian organizations based in the United States, such as the NGO “United Help Ukraine,” the EFE news agency reported.
One of the attendees named Kirill Naumenko, 20, claimed to the previously cited outlet to be from Mariupol, and asked for help because Russia is killing the city.
Kirill added that his 16-year-old sister and her parents had to leave Mariupol, which was seized by Russia in April after shelling destroyed their home and the family’s vehicle repair business.
When asked why he went to the march, Numenko explained that he wants the West to help Ukraine with weapons so that he can end the war soon, and asked for psychological help from Ukrainians who experienced the violence up close.
During the protests, banners were seen where Putin was labeled a “war criminal”, being compared to Adolf Hitler, and Ukrainian flags predominated in the demonstration.
Lydia Lisowsky, 23, explained to EFE that she traveled more than six hours by car with her family from Cleveland, Ohio, to attend the demonstration in the capital.
“It’s sad, but at the same time it’s good to be together with other Ukrainians who feel the same way as you. We must mourn, together, for all that has been lost this year,” said Lisowsky, a US citizen with Ukrainian grandparents who immigrated to the US after World War II.
Demonstrations have occurred in various cities around the world, while, in parallel, massive protests have been held that question the delivery of arms to Ukraine, or the ceasefire.
February 24 marked one year since the Kremlin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, causing the US government to announce new sanctions against 200 people associated with the Putin government and Russian entities, as well as a package of $2 billion in military aid.