Elderly Leningrad Siege Survivor Faces Fine for Anti-War Protest

Lyudmila Vasilyeva, a courageous survivor of the Leningrad Siege during WWII, was fined for her public protest against the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, highlighting the crackdowns on dissent in modern Russia.

Russian activist and Leningrad Siege survivor, Lyudmila Vasilyeva, faced legal repercussions for her anti-war stance and was fined 10,000 rubles ($126; £93) by a St Petersburg court for "discrediting" the Russian army. The fine stemmed from her participation in a peaceful protest earlier this year, where she held a placard reading, “People, let's stop the war. We are responsible for peace on the planet Earth. With love, Lyudmila Vasilyeva, child of the Leningrad blockade.”

Gathering outside the courthouse on Friday, supportive crowds welcomed the 84-year-old, who expressed feelings of "bitterness" regarding her nation's current military actions. “I have always been someone who is not indifferent, from childhood. I have always been on the side of the weak,” she stated during an interview with AFP prior to her court appearance.

Vasilyeva, who endured the grueling 872-day siege of Leningrad, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 800,000 people, reflected upon her mother's words of hope during trying times: "'We will get through everything, as long as there is no war.'"

Having been an outspoken critic of Russia's military engagement in Ukraine, Vasilyeva has faced multiple detentions since 2022 and even attempted to run for the governor of St Petersburg last year, an effort that fell short due to signature requirements.

The Kremlin has intensified restrictions on criticism of its military operations since the commencement of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Laws designed to penalize "discrediting" the army leave room for broad interpretation, capturing a range of activities that signal any opposition to the war, including displaying various anti-war messages.

As the conflict continues, estimates reveal that casualties among Russian military personnel have risen significantly. Conversely, Ukrainian military casualty figures are believed to be underreported, contributing to the rising tension surrounding the situation in the region.