Russian mothers for peace

The story of a yoga teacher from Petrozavodsz fined for anti-war ribbons displayed on the street: "There are many of us expressing ourselves, even though they try to hide us. I fear for the future of my children, who will have no future, and from whom they have also robbed the present."

Moscow (asiaNews) - In Petrozavodsk, northern European Russia, mother of five Ekaterina Kukharskaya was fined 15,000 rubles (200 euros) after being found guilty of the usual charge of "discrediting the Armed Forces," used to punish the slightest sign of disaproval of the war. She had attached ribbons with the words "Don't kill people" and "No to war" at various places on the street.

In an interview with Sever.Realii, Ekaterina explains that "actually there are many of us who speak out against the war, even though they try to hide us." Forty-seven years old, a yoga teacher, the mother-courage has relatives in Ukraine, and the "silent protests" have been "almost the ultimate symbol of hope" for her from the start, beginning with social media posts. The oldest of her five children lives in another city, while the others are still with her, supporting and educating them on her own.

When the authorities began to punish internet posts as well, Ekaterina closed the accounts to the public like everyone else, leaving only an avatar in place of her photo, a cloud resembling a white dove flying.

Soon after the invasion began, she called a trusted friend, who told her not to worry, because those "in high places" know what they are doing, and it would all be over in two months at most. So she began to hang green stripes around with writing on them, "because green is the color of hope."

She leaves the house at night, in dark clothes with a hoodie, and even distributes the strips when she goes to work or takes her children to school, giving them even to children "who understand well what they refer to," even without any writing.

Eventually surveillance cameras recognized her despite the changes of clothes, because the dog she was walking was always the same, and within minutes she was surrounded by several cars with sirens and flashing lights as she attacked the "Thou shalt not kill" strip at 10 p.m. on May 15.

Upon questioning at police headquarters, Ekaterina signed a report with her confession, "I attack the strips because I am radically opposed to any war, as a yoga teacher I follow the philosophy of non-violence, and I did not intend to discredit anyone."

She was held in silence for a couple of hours until "the operations of the investigative team were concluded." Eventually an official came back to ask her questions, after they had combed through all her social accounts and checked her cell phone, and she realized that he was a member of the FSB, trying to get delusions from her about other "pacifists," "maybe someone gave her these tapes, offering her money?" Her yoga classes were also put under scrutiny, in case she ever spread "discrediting concepts" during breathing exercises.

Kukharskaya has not been frightened by pressure from investigators, "terror comes when they kill people, if anything, I fear for the future of my children, who will have no future, and they have taken away their present as well."

Her children support her, although the older ones try to warn her against excess activism, and many friends and acquaintances are on her side, although many others try to change her mind.

Some have suggested she move to quieter places, to villages in Karelia, of which Petrozavodsk is the capital, but where state propaganda takes root less. Her contacts in Ukraine include a cousin, "with whom we write every day," and to her she tells of her protest actions, so that even in the most devastated places "it will be known that in Russia someone is against this invasion."

Ekaterina concludes that "people often say that these ribbons and signs serve no purpose except to complicate their lives, but I say that they are absolutely necessary: do you know how good it does my heart when they tell me that they put another one next to mine?"

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