Morphine Prince 109,767 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Moscow (AFP) - Tens of thousands of strongman Vladimir Putin's supporters rallied Saturday near the Kremlin walls, a year after protests in neighbouring Ukraine led to the fall of its pro-Russian president. The demonstrators, some dressed in fatigues, waved Russian flags and many sported the black and orange St George ribbon, a symbol of victory over Nazi Germany that pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists have adopted as their badge of honour. Police said up to 40,000 people turned out with around 1,000 attending a similar rally in the second city of Saint Petersburg. Critics claimed many were paid to attend or bussed in. "Yankee go home and take the Maidan with you," read one massive banner referring to Ukraine's pro-Western uprising that came to be known as the Maidan protests. "We don't need Western ideology and gay parades," said another placard, while a column of Cossacks brandished a banner reading "The Maidan is a disease. We will treat it." Established early this year, the umbrella movement that organised the rally, Anti-Maidan, includes several groups representing bikers, Cossacks, athletes and Russian veterans of the Afghan and Chechen wars, some of whom have fought alongside rebels in eastern Ukraine. Members employed highly emotive, aggressive language to rouse the crowd at the apparently choreographed event in support of Putin, who has accused the West of stirring the Ukraine unrest. "I am calling on you to rally around the Russian president at a time when all of Russia's enemies are mobilising," Alexander Zaldostanov, the leather-clad leader of biker gang the Night Wolves, told the rally. One organiser, Nikolai Starikov, speaking from the stage, called the Kiev protests "a smile of an American ambassador" and an "embryo of Goebbels," referring to Hitler's propaganda minister. "A Maidan will not take place in Russia," announced singer Victoria Tsyganova, dressed in a red coat and red kerchief. The instantly recognisable strains of "The Holy War", a famous WWII-era song, emanated from loudspeakers. A worker from UralVagonZavod, a maker of battle tanks in the Urals -- which publicly supported Putin during the height of winter protests in 2011-2012 -- accused the opposition of betraying Russia reeling from the effects of the economic crisis and Western sanctions. "Now that the country is going through hardships the opposition are rubbing their hands," said Alexei Balyberdin. Thousands Rally in Moscow Against Kiev ‘Coup’Play videoThousands Rally in Moscow Against Kiev âCoupâ"I fully support Putin's policies," said a 37-year-old demonstrator, Ivan Blagoi in St Petersburg. "I don't want the collapse of the country and a civil war brought on in Ukraine by the Maidan." Critics say the Moscow event was organised with the help from authorities, with many participants brought in on buses or paid to be there. Organisers deny the claims. After the Kiev uprising ousted Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych last February, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and has since backed a separatist insurgency in the east of the country. Starikov said the march was the movement's first major rally aimed at discouraging the pro-Western opposition from plotting a coup in Russia. "Don't even try. Don't make any attempts to rock the boat in Russia," he said in televised remarks. State television gave ample coverage to Saturday's event and said similar rallies had been held across the country. Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pro-kremlin-demo-vows-no-maidan-russia-131139803.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bionic 50,111 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 This is why Siberia >>> Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic 49,376 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Captial M-E-S-S Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cocaine Heart 4,768 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 We going to boo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsterdreams 1,529 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 This is all the world needs ffs Haters gonna need more than a flashlight for my shade Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 680 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 War, conflict, adversity bring out the patriotism in people. At least short-term. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
xoxo cupcakke 4,781 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 https://vine.co/v/OdnOmBhXVqt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luiz 4,253 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 ok so lets say he separatists win. what happens and why is that bad for the west? i feel like i've taken the anti-putin side on this issue without even knowing why there are separatists in the ukraine the first place. I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANZ 4,380 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 this country is a joke My Favs = Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, AKB48 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valextra 58 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qualle1 1,385 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Russia is a mess... MAKE LOVE NOT WAR Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeleteMyAccount 11,881 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Do these people even know what they're talking about? No. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc 4,776 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 ok so lets say he separatists win. what happens and why is that bad for the west? i feel like i've taken the anti-putin side on this issue without even knowing why there are separatists in the ukraine the first place. A part of Ukraine will be Russian or independent unconstitutionally, and East-Ukraine is important for Ukraine's economy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bye 3,947 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 ok so lets say he separatists win. what happens and why is that bad for the west? i feel like i've taken the anti-putin side on this issue without even knowing why there are separatists in the ukraine the first place. Look the separatists are still Ukrainian whether they like it or not. It's not right that just because they want to form part of Russia a chunk of Ukraine becomes Russian. Imagine a group of Russian sympathisers in London or something decide they want to be separate and make London a part of Russia. It's insane. If they want to form part of Russia they should just up and leave. Ukraine belongs to the Ukraine not Putin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiltedbliss 915 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Wtf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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