“In the name of the Russian people, but against our will”: Russian voices against Russia’s war in Ukraine

Updated 4 March 2022

This page contains only a small sample selection in English of the voices of Russian citizens speaking out publicly against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and declaring their solidarity with the people of Ukraine. While Russian authorities use these lists widely to repress their own citizens, the voices behind them are currently not being heard loudly enough internationally. By signing, each person has put themselves at risk from potential criminal persecution and intimidation, a risk which deserves to be recognised more widely. Continuously since 2012, the Russian administration has been making critical amendments to the country’s civil and criminal law regarding free speech and particularly, speech concerning the interpretation of current politics and twentieth-century history. In doing so they use terminology such as branding critical media ‘foreign agents’, and hand out prison sentences ranging from two years to two decades of captivity in a prison colony. In November 2021 the Moscow High Court demanded the liquidation of Memorial, a network of organisations dedicated to the research of human rights abuses in contemporary Russian society and in Soviet history. Refusing to call its ‘special operation’ against the Ukrainian people a war, the Russian leadership has embarked on a path of war and lawlessness, to date (4 March) unauthorised even by its own Duma. Even without the effects of international sanctions, these actions have put Russia’s own population in great peril. In early March 2022, the government has begun shutting down and blocking access to media including TVrain, BBC Russian, Radio Echo Moscow, Radio Serebryannyi Dozhd, Radio Liberty, as well as Facebook and other social media.

From Stop the war with Ukraine! Signed by 1,155,221 people

This initiative started on change.org by the human rights activist Lev Ponomarev, Executive Director of the organisation ‘For Human Rights’

“On 22 February the Russian armed forces crossed the border and entered the territory of the eastern regions of Ukraine. On the night of 24 February the first Ukrainian cities were hit. In Russia, people from all walks of life have publicly declared their categorical rejection of this war, its pernicious character for the country. This includes people ranging from the intelligentsia to ex-generals and experts of the Valdai forum. […] Russia’s official rhetoric asserts that this is being done with the purpose of ‘self-defence’. But you cannot cheat History. If the myth of the Reichstag fire had to be uncovered, today there is no need for revelations — everything is self-evident from the beginning.

We, proponents of peace, seeking to preserve the lives of the citizens of Russia and of Ukraine, with the aim of stopping the current war and preventing its growth into a war of planetary proportion […]demand an immediate cessation of hostilities by Russia’s armed forces, and their withdrawal from the territory of the sovereign Ukrainian state.”

There is also an aggregator page collecting different smaller declarations of Russian professional associations against Russia’s war in Ukraine. It has counted over 160 000 independent signatures for multiple initiatives

From Russian IT Workers against the War

Signed by 29,028 people, including employees of the largest IT companies operating in Russia, both Russian and international (Sber, Yandex, Avito, Gazprom, Cisco, Ozon, Mail.ru)

„We, workers of the Russian IT industry, categorically reject the military actions of the armed forces of the Russian Federation which have begun on Ukrainian territory. We find any use of force leading to war unwarranted […] Our countries have always been close to each other. And today we are concerned for our Ukrainian colleagues, friends, and relatives. We are preoccupied and morally subdued by what is now taking place in the cities of Ukraine. In our work we make the best products and services, we do everything to make Russian IT solutions a source of pride. We do not want our country to be associated with war, but with peace and progress.”

From Russian Medics against the War

Signed by 11,654 medics, including those affiliated with leading institutions such as the Serbski Institute

“We, Russian doctors, nurses and paramedics, strongly oppose the military actions carried out by Russian armed forces on the territory of Ukraine. We are not looking to assign guilt and we do not judge anyone. Our mission is to save human lives. It is difficult to imagine a profession more humane than that of a doctor. Now, at this difficult time for both countries, we call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and for the resolution of all political issues exclusively by peaceful means.”

From Russian scholars and scientists and scientific journalists

6900 signatories

“We, Russian scholars and scientists and scientific journalists declare our decisive protest against military actions started by the armed forces of our country on Ukrainian territory. This fatal step leads to enormous human sacrifices and undermines the foundations of the existing system of international security. The responsibility for the start of a new war in Europe lies entirely with Russia.”

From the Staff, alumni and students of the Higher School of Economics

4821 signatories

“We the undersigned alumni and staff members of the National Research University “Higher School of Economics” are resolutely against any violence, military action or “operations” on the territory of Ukraine. […] Our university seeks out the truth, and pursues international cooperation with mutual interest, honesty and openness. We would like to see the same principles realised not only in our university but in our nation at large. We want our country to be associated with these principles of peace and development.”

From Russian Teachers Against the War

Over 4469 signatures. The petition was signed by teachers from nearly every region of Russia, from the Altay to Samara oblast’, from Belgorod to Karelia.

“The war with Ukraine which began in the night of 23 to 24 February is not our war. The invasion of Ukraine’s territory began in the name of Russian citizens, but it is against our will.”

From Russian Translators Against the War

1631 signatories

“We, Russian translators, feel acutely that the very existence of Russia as a civilised state and the achievements of the Russian language which we tried to maintain so far have now been called into question.”

From Russian historians against the war

1195 signatories

“We, Russian historians — scholars, teachers, students, graduates — are expressing our deepest outrage and protest against the military intervention by Russian forces on the territory of the sovereign territory of Ukraine. […] In the future we will have to account for the causes of the catastrophe which continues to unfold before our eyes to our children and grandchildren. All of us that are part of Russian society today will be working through our implication in these events for years to come.”