whether you, as an activist yourself, who fights for democracy in russia and whether vladimir too, whether actually you are deeply disappointed with what has happened inside russia since this invasion and the failure to see consistent street opposition, public protest, to what the putin government is doing? well, i would say to this that there is consistent streak of opposition in russia. since february, almost 20,000 people have been arbitrarily detained for protesting against the war. and the number of political prisoners in russia, according to memorial, is today 513 people that are persecuted for their political views and religious beliefs. and i would say that those numbers are big and they are showing that there is opposition. there s no doubt most of those arrested, indeed, roughly three quarters
and against russia. and there is also belarus. that s very much involved as well, because the number of political prisoners in belarus is growing just as quickly as it does in russia. but if i may, if i may, evgenia, you raised a very interesting point about what is going on inside russia. and i m very mindful that when vladimir went back, you know, in the six weeks, two months after the invasion of ukraine, he said it would be, to use his word, cowardly, not to be side by side with those brave russians who were protesting the war. and at the time, it is true that there were thousands of russians in different towns and cities who were prepared to go to the streets and voice their opposition. but we, frankly, see very little of that today. and i m just wondering whether you, as an activist yourself, who fights for democracy in russia and whether vladimir too, whether actually you are deeply
as quickly as it does in russia. but if i may, if i may, evgenia, you raised a very interesting point about what is going on inside russia. and i m very mindful that when vladimir went back, you know, in the six weeks, two months after the invasion of ukraine, he said it would be, to use his word, cowardly, not to be side by side with those brave russians who were protesting the war. and at the time, it is true that there were thousands of russians in different towns and cities who were prepared to go to the streets and voice their opposition. but we, frankly, see very little of that today. and i m just wondering whether you, as an activist yourself, who fights for democracy in russia and whether vladimir too, whether actually you are deeply disappointed with what has happened inside russia since this invasion and the failure to see consistent street opposition,
that s very much involved as well, because the number of political prisoners in belarus is growing just as quickly as it does in russia. but if i may, if i may, evgenia, you raised a very interesting point about what is going on inside russia. you know, in the six weeks, two months after the invasion of ukraine, he said it would be, to use his word, cowardly, not to be side by side with those brave russians who were protesting the war. and at the time, it is true that there were thousands of russians in different towns and cities who were prepared to go to the streets and voice their opposition. but we, frankly, see very little of that today. and i m just wondering whether you, as an activist yourself, who fights for democracy in russia and whether vladimir too, whether actually you are deeply
you raised a very interesting point about what is going on inside russia. and i m very mindful that when vladimir went back, you know, in the six weeks, two months after the invasion of ukraine, he said it would be, to use his word, cowardly, not to be side by side with those brave russians who were protesting the war. and at the time, it is true that there were thousands of russians in different towns and cities who were prepared to go to the streets and voice their opposition. but we, frankly, see very little of that today. and i m just wondering whether you, as an activist yourself, who fights for democracy in russia and whether vladimir too, whether actually you are deeply disappointed with what has happened inside russia since this invasion and the failure to see consistent street opposition, public protest, to what the putin government is doing?