Alexei Navalny, the imprisoned leader of Russia's opposition party, is calling on Russians to protest President Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine, calling him an "obviously insane czar" in a statement on Wednesday.
"We — Russia — want to be a nation of peace. Alas, few people would call us that now," Navalny said in the first of 12 tweets.
"Let's at least not become a nation of frightened silent people. Of cowards who pretend not to notice the aggressive war against Ukraine unleashed by our obviously insane czar," Navalny said.
"I cannot, do not want and will not remain silent watching how pseudo-historical nonsense about the events of 100 years ago has become an excuse for Russians to kill Ukrainians, and for Ukrainians to kill Russians while defending themselves," he continued.
Navalny later noted, "I am from the USSR myself. I was born there. And the main phrase from there — from my childhood — was 'fight for peace.' I call on everyone to take to the streets and fight for peace."
He added, "Putin is not Russia," and said, "We cannot wait any longer. Wherever you are, in Russia, Belarus or on the other side of the planet, go to the main square of your city every weekday and at 2 pm on weekends and holidays."
Navalny concluded, "Everything has a price, and now, in the spring of 2022, we must pay this price. There's no one to do it for us. Let's not 'be against the war.' Let's fight against the war."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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