Press Release, 23.02.2023

Today, on the eve of one year since the start of Russia’s “special operation” on the territory of Ukraine, Yabloko held a marathon “Say Yes to the Peace!”. The organisers of the marathon demonstrated 45 videos they received from Moscow and the Moscow region, Omsk, Arkhangelsk, Rostov, Voronezh, Novgorod, Pskov, Tver, Ivanovo, Barnaul, Kirov, Saratov, Kemerovo and other Russian cities. Members and supporters of Yabloko recalled in the videos how they lived through this diffiult year, and what gave them strength. Yabloko also broadcasted excerpts from the books and poems about war.

“I should confess that when we were preparing today’s event, we were anxious about the perception of everything that will be recited. Now the same texts often seem to some people to be anti-war, and to others, on the contrary, calling for a military action.

We tried to select such works of world classical literature that speak not only about the value of human life, but also about the absolute futility and senselessness of war,” Nikolai Rybakov, Chairman of the Yabloko party, commented on the event.

The marathon was opened by Grigory Yavlinsky, the founder of the Yabloko party, who spoke about the national and international causes of what happened.

“Today, Russia is being adjusted to Vladimir Putin’s reality, the Eurasian reality. The so-called “special military operation” is the foundation for transferring Russia from a country of free people into a country of people whom this system likes. That is why the day before yesterday, Vladimir Putin made it clear in his speech [to the Federal Assembly]: this will be endless, nobody knows for how long it may last,” Grigory Yavlinsky said.

Yavlinsky also stressed that the task of Yabloko and its supporters is in preserving Russia as a country of free people. According to Yavlinsky, to implement this it is necessary to understand the causes of what happened and learn how to talk with people about this, and discuss the prospects with them.

“To preserve the society of free people in the Russia where we find ourselves, remain human, preserve conscience, human dignity, and love for our country. Today we should treat our country like a sick child. The dawn will come, be ready for this time,” the founder of Yabloko said.

The first of part of the anti-war marathon was the concert: actress Tatyana Parshina and Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov recited excerpts from the books about war by Vsevolod Garshin, Leonid Andreyev and Guy de Maupassant. Violinists Alexei Lobanov and Yefim Krinovsky will perform works by Bach, Pachelbel, Vivaldi and Maria Theresa von Paradis.