A year ago, Russian troops invaded Ukraine. On the anniversary of the invasion, civil society, politicians and associations set an example for peace - and also against the right.
Dresden (dpa/sn) - On the anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine, numerous people in Saxony called for peace and support for the Eastern European country with rallies, prayers for peace, fairy lights and candles. At the same time, the victims of the war in Ukraine were remembered. According to estimates, around 1,500 people gathered in Dresden on Friday under the motto "Solidarity with Ukraine" on the Neumarkt in front of the Frauenkirche. There were also commemorations, prayers for peace and actions to mark the anniversary in Leipzig, Chemnitz, Zwickau and Zittau. According to the police, the events initially ran smoothly.
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, a brutal war has been raging in the Eastern European country with thousands dead and injured on both sides. Many people fled from Ukraine - especially women, children and the elderly.
"Our personal sympathy and our active solidarity belong to the people in and from Ukraine," emphasized Dresden's Mayor Dirk Hilbert (FDP) at the rally on the Neumarkt. He thanked all those who showed solidarity with the Ukrainians and provided help. Around 9,000 people from Ukraine are now housed in Dresden alone. "They suffer from uncertainty, hoping for peace that will come who knows when." The city was also involved locally in Ukraine, for example by sending buses to Bucha and technical equipment to Lviv.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko thanked him in a video at Dresden's Neumarkt for his country's support in the war with Russia. Klitschko described the Russian war of aggression as a threat to the entire democratic world. "We fight every day for independence and freedom, not just for our country and its citizens. We fight for a peaceful future for every European."
In the early evening, lights were distributed on the Neumarkt, numerous people formed a chain of lights. An alliance of various initiatives had called for the rally in front of the Dresden Frauenkirche - including the Cellex Foundation Dresden and the "Dresden Place to be" association.
Meanwhile, several hundred people gathered on the nearby Theaterplatz. Among others, the AfD had called for the demo, including the Thuringian AfD boss Björn Höcke. Pegida boss Lutz Bachmann was also one of the organizers. Both Pegida and the Thuringian AfD are classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as extremist efforts. Among the demonstrators was the former Austrian Vice-Chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache. The central demand was: Stop the arms deliveries. The federal government was accused of warmongering. Loud protests arose on site against the event.
Flags of the Ukraine waved in front of the Saxon State Chancellery, in front of ministries and other state authorities on Friday. As a sign of European solidarity, the headquarters of the European and Justice Ministries in Dresden were illuminated in the evening in the Ukrainian national colors.
