People hold up a large Ukrainian flag as they gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic,Tuesday, Oct. 11, few hundreds of people have gathered in the Czech capital to condemn the Russian strikes against multiple cities across Ukraine and demand support for efficient Ukraine’s air defenses. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
The protesters held blue-and-yellow crosses with the names of the cities hit by the Russian missiles.
“Ukraine needs air defenses to be able to prevent the massacres of the civilian population and destruction of our cities,” Anastasiia Sihnaievska told the crowd.
People hold up a large Ukrainian flag as they gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic,Tuesday, Oct. 11, few hundreds of people have gathered in the Czech capital to condemn the Russian strikes against multiple cities across Ukraine and demand support for efficient Ukraine’s air defenses. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
“We are protecting our right to live,” said Sihnaievska, who fled her town of Zhytomyr because of the Russian invasion.
People chanted “Russia’s terrorist!” and “More weapons for Ukraine!”
People hold up a banners as they gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic,Tuesday, Oct. 11, few hundreds of people have gathered in the Czech capital to condemn the Russian strikes against multiple cities across Ukraine and demand support for efficient Ukraine’s air defenses. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
They unveiled a giant Ukrainian flag and displayed banners that read “Air defense systems for Ukraine,” “We will not forget, We will not forgive,” or “Stop bombing Ukraine.”
“It’s great that Europe supports us but we need more help,” said the 21-year-old Ivanna Mykuliak. A student of physics in Odesa, she came to the Czech Republic to work to help support her family in Ukraine.
Young boy runs underneath a large Ukrainian flag as people gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic,Tuesday, Oct. 11, few hundreds of people have gathered in the Czech capital to condemn the Russian strikes against multiple cities across Ukraine and demand support for efficient Ukraine’s air defenses. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Protesters who were not Ukrainian also joined the rally.
“Ukraine is fighting for us,” said Julie Levkova, a Czech who helped organize the protest. “I want to use all possibilities I have here and all my energy to fight for Ukraine in the Czech Republic.”
A woman kisses her son as people gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic,Tuesday, Oct. 11, few hundreds of people have gathered in the Czech capital to condemn the Russian strikes against multiple cities across Ukraine and demand support for efficient Ukraine’s air defenses. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
A similar rally took place in Romania’s capital of Bucharest on Monday.
On Tuesday, the presidents of 10 European nations — Czechia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Montenegro — said the deadly Russian missile strikes this week against civilians in Ukraine “constitute war crimes under international law.“
People hold up banners as they gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic,Tuesday, Oct. 11, few hundreds of people have gathered in the Czech capital to condemn the Russian strikes against multiple cities across Ukraine and demand support for efficient Ukraine’s air defenses. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
“On behalf of our states, we demand that Russia immediately stop attacking civilian targets,“ they said in a statement. “We will not cease our efforts to bring to court people responsible of yesterday’s crimes.“
People carry crosses with names of cities, that were hit by Russian missiles, as they gather for a protest in Prague, Czech Republic,Tuesday, Oct. 11, few hundreds of people have gathered in the Czech capital to condemn the Russian strikes against multiple cities across Ukraine and demand support for efficient Ukraine’s air defenses. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
