For immediate publication
A march in support of Ukraine was held today through the Sherwood area of Nottingham organised by Nottingham Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (NUSC). The event drew a crowd of about 100 people who marched from the Sherwood Community Centre on Mansfield road to the Ukrainian Cultural Centre also on Mansfield road. Protestors were motivated by the recent increase in the scale and barbarity of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastrutcure by Russia in Ukraine and renewed calls for Russia to be declared a terrorist state.
The event marks about 8 months since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
After the march the crowd gathered at the Nottingham Ukrainian Cultural Centre to speak via video link with some people in Ukraine.
Yuriy, a front-line soldier fighting in Ukraine spoke about conditions on the front line and thanked campaigners for their support. Ukrainian resident Borys spoke about the need to disarm Russia and make sure it can’t repeate the current situation either with Ukraine or other countries. Other speakers spoke of their fear at hearing Russian drone strikes and their relief when they are shot down. The need for supplies of weapons to continue was also highlighted alongside other supplies for civilians such as generators and gas heaters as the coming winter is expected to be difficult due to Russian attacks on Ukrainian power plants and networks.
Michael Holod, branch chair of the Nottingham Ukrainian Cultural Centre, said: “Putin is losing the war on the battlefield, he’s now resorting to using Iranian drones to target non military infrastructure and trying to cause mayhem and remove heat and light from the Ukrainian civilians over winter.
“He’s been using wheat and energy and is weaponising these to also cause mayhem in the west. We have to show this scumbag terrorist state that he will not divide us, we are united with the Ukrainian people and we stand shoulder to shoulder with them and show other authoritarian regimes around the world that we value and cherish our democracy and liberty.
“The Russian people are no more than zombies and if they are happy in that world then that is fine. Now is their chance to break these chains and show the rest of the world that they are so much better than this.”
Steve Palmer, NUSC organiser, said: “We are here in Sherwood today to raise awareness within the community of Russia’s criminal war on Ukraine and to ensure the Ukrainian people know they are not alone, that we stand with them.
“This is a critical moment for Ukraine, with the liberation of Kherson a real possibility and collapse of Russian forces in the south. We must continue to show our and allied governments that the people want to maintain our collective support for Ukraine, to stop genocide of Ukrainian people by Russia, for its liberation and for total Ukrainian victory.
“This is the only path to an enduring and just peace.”
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NUSC members are available for interview, please arrange by emailing ukrainesolidarity@gmail.com – To be added to our press list for future events please email the same address.
Nottingham Ukraine Solidarity Campaign 