Hundreds of Warsaw Residents Protesting Polish Involvement in Ukraine Crisis
15:29 GMT 21.01.2023 (Updated: 17:53 GMT 22.01.2023)
© AP PhotoIn this Sept. 17, 2017 file photo provided by the Polish Armed Forces General Command a tank takes part in the Dragon 17 exercise in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland.
© AP Photo
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WARSAW (Sputnik) - Several hundred people are taking part in a protest organized by the patriotic organization "Compatriots – Comrades" in Warsaw against Poland's involvement in the Ukraine crisis, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Saturday.
The participants, carrying Polish flags and banners with slogans "Who wants Polish blood, get out!", "Poland chooses peace!", gathered in Warsaw's downtown and were marching toward Sigismund's Column. Some protesters were also carrying banners with phrases in Russian.
In their statement, the organizers of the march expressed their dissatisfaction with what they see as "Polish-language politicians and the Polish-language media pounding into the heads and hearts of Poles with pro-war propaganda."
"Peace should reign in Poland," the statement said, adding that those encouraging Polish citizens to participate in the Ukrainian conflict "must be brought to justice."
Polish officials claim that their country is the world's second biggest donor in terms of military assistance to Ukraine, outpaced only by the United States. Poland supplies Ukraine with tanks, artillery, drones, other weapons and ammunition.
© AFP 2023 / SERGEI SUPINSKYUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda shake hands during a press conference following their talks in Kiev on May 22, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda shake hands during a press conference following their talks in Kiev on May 22, 2022
© AFP 2023 / SERGEI SUPINSKY
Western countries ramped up their military support for Ukraine after Russia launched a special military operation there on February 24, 2022, responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. In April 2022, Moscow sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Kiev. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any arms shipments on Ukrainian territory would be "legitimate targets" for Russian forces.