“People are simply lured out by the promises to give them 10,000 roubles.” Human rights defender Svetlana Gannushkina about the evacuation of Donbass residents to Russia
Special for the Yabloko web-site, 22.02.2022
Russian regions have begun introduction of a state of emergency regime in anticipation of an inflow of refugees from Donbass. Up to a million people are expected to be evacuated from the “Donetsk People’s Republic” and the “Luhansk People’s Republic”. Svetlana Gannushkina, Chairperson of the Civic Assistance Committee and a member of the Political Committee of the Yabloko party, notes that Russia does not have a positive experience in accepting refugees, especially in such large numbers.
According to Gannushkina, at present people are simply being lured out of Donbass by the promises to give 10,000 roubles to each refugee, so that the Russian authorities could demonstrate the danger these people allegedly encounter from Ukraine. “But when so many people come, and we are completely unaccustomed to this, it can end badly both for these people and for the local population,” Gannushkina says.
The Yabloko party has declared its resolute protest against Russia’s recognition of the independence of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” and the “Luhansk People’s Republic”. In the current situation, this is a step towards a sharp increase in tension, fraught with bloodshed, the Yabloko statement runs.
Yabloko continues to collect signatures against the war with Ukraine. Over 17,000 signatures have been collected as of the morning of 22 February.
Posted: February 22nd, 2022 under Foreign policy, Human Rights, Russia-Eu relations, Russia-Ukraine relations, Yabloko's Regional Branches.