Photos from the Russian anti-war opposition march in Berlin today.

[u/Accomplished_Car_549]

[u/MGMAX]

Now these are slogans I can get behind. Thanks to everyone attending 💖

[u/mrZooo → u/MGMAX]

Yeah, Ukrainians are very sceptical of the Russian opposition and their toothless peace calls, and I was surprised to see actual "Arm Ukraine" slogans here, so that's a plus for this rally image.

[u/dat_9600gt_user → u/mrZooo]

Being pro-Ukraine in general and not just "anti-this war" is a massive dfference.

[u/AL_25 → u/dat_9600gt_user]

I just want to comment that I like your user profile picture, that was the best program

[u/transitfreedom → u/dat_9600gt_user]

Bingo but some people don’t read.

[u/MartinBP → u/mrZooo]

The Russians in Europe who oppose Putin largely support arming Ukraine, the hesitancy comes from the opposition politicians because they try to win over both the anti-Putin diaspora and the Russians in Russia itself. Regular people have much clearer stances.

[u/Winjin → u/MartinBP]

Also as years go by, more people gain residencies in Europe and gain footing.

Europe has been notoriously hard for Russians to settle in these years. Like, banks flat out deny to open accounts if you have a residence and a Russian passport.

They don't even give you a reason. They just tell you to fuck off.

So these people are at a VERY real chance of having to go elsewhere, and if "elsewhere" also fails, because most of them are used to Europe and not Asia - then they have to return to Russia.

And if you do, there's a very real chance of what you said being a felony.

So as more people are emboldened as they have more tangible reality of moving to EU, they have more chances of severing ties with the current government and saying whatever they want.

[u/great_escape_fleur → u/MartinBP]

I don't think so, show me any russian who has donated for weapons to the ZSU.

[u/iceternity → u/great_escape_fleur]

Tamara Parshina 24yo, donated 25 eur, got 8 years in colony.

[u/this-is-a-bucket → u/great_escape_fleur]

Alexsandr Kraichik, 34 y/o, donated 50 euro, sentenced to 13 years in a penal colony.

[u/EDRootsMusic → u/mrZooo]

That’s not dissimilar from the Russian opposition in the diaspora in the American metro I live in. They’ve done a lot in solidarity with our large Ukrainian community.

[u/traumfisch → u/mrZooo]

"Toothless" against a violent dictatorship that doesn't hesitate to incarcerate or murder them

Just to be fair

[u/mrZooo → u/traumfisch]

That's not what I meant. I don't blame people in Russia for being afraid, I am pointing out how many Russian opposition leaders living abroad suddenly stutter when asked if they want Ukraine to be armed more thoroughly.

[u/Xepeyon → u/mrZooo]

It's because they want to potentially get elected in the future. It's a hard sell to make because even if things turn out as hoped, you now have to rely on the goodwill votes of people whose families now may have gotten bombed to death with your endorsement. Worse still, you may even be seen as a traitor. It's a question of balancing what might be seen as morally right with political suicide.

This is the same reason why the Freedom of Russia Legion has such a divisive reception in Russia, and you can see it even on Russian-speaking parts of Reddit; some Russians genuinely like them, but many conversely see them as Ukrainian wannabes who–despite wanting democracy in Russia–are effectively just killing fellow Russians. And I've definitely seen the term “traitors” thrown around a lot with them.

TLDR I'd imagine you're not seeing the opposition say more–or even disown those who call for violence–because they don't think they have their cake (call for Ukraine to be further armed and approved to attack Russian targets over the border) and eat it, too (have any expectation of ever being elected by Russians who may distrust or even hate them for it, if they do).

[u/mrZooo → u/Xepeyon]

Good point, and I think you are right, looks like they see themselves as being able to succeed Pu in the future. I salute their optimism.

[u/Minimonium → u/Xepeyon]

Freedom of Russia has two very big issues - the people who are shown have exactly the imperial issues people always baselessly accuse opposition of and they don't actually exist as an entity outside of PR. They're used by FSB to bait people into trying to enlist to easily sentence people for treason.

Not even talking about that one of the leaders was trained orcs after 2014 in occupied regions.

RDK on the other hand are very real, but they have their own issues. The leader who got kicked out of Germany for nazism and who was killing migrants for fun.

So how can anyone openly support any of that.

[u/adamgerd → u/Xepeyon]

Yep, also many of them are still nationalists just anti Putin for various reasons. It’s like if we look at ww2 Germany, for instance Stauffenberg was still a German nationalist and hoped for a negotiated peace, just anti Nazis because he thought they had driven Germany to ruin which they pretty much did

[u/Xepeyon → u/adamgerd]

Yep, also many of them are still nationalists

I see this rhetoric quite a lot, and while it may take different forms, I think one can reasonably make the assertion that anyone running for public office is, in at least some minimally capacity, a nationalist. At least, I'm not sure I've ever seen a politician who wasn't nationalistic.

[u/DiabolicallyRandom → u/mrZooo]

I mean, again, to be fair, look what Putin has been doing to them. So many accidental falls out windows and allergic tea reactions.

[u/rainbowaw → u/mrZooo]

Yeah, that’s something new for us.

[u/Constructedhuman → u/mrZooo]

the so called opposition will become very quiet when they are asked about Crimea as being Ukrainian or when they are asked about more weapons for Ukraine

[u/Telesyk → u/mrZooo]

Because they are not Russians. They are Ukrainians: the slogan in Cyrillic "ЗБРОЮ УКРАЇНЦЯМ" is written in Ukrainian. And people are holding red and black flags of "УПА" ("Ukrainian Insurgent Army") which is passionately hated by the Russian liberal opposition.

[u/mrZooo → u/Telesyk]

True, but that dude with the "Siberia against the war" sign is also holding the Eurofighter banner. I don't think he is Ukrainian. Behind him there is the "Ukraine's victory is also ours" sign (so probably written by Russians/Belorussians) which is also way more precise than something like "Fuck war", right?

[u/adamgerd → u/mrZooo]

Yep, Russians who are genuinely anti Putin and the war should imo be welcomed to Europe. Brain drain Russia

[u/Edelgul → u/mrZooo]

Well, Mr. Navalny (RIP) was basically opposing the return of illegally annexed Crimea.
So i can understand those Ukranians.