“Our people” were given shell casings

The Nashi movement, led by Vasily Yakemenko, held a patriotic rally of many thousands on Sunday. According to law enforcement agencies, about 50 thousand people took part in it, including about a thousand veterans. The action participants were brought by buses and trains from many Russian cities. Students of the Nizhny Novgorod Polytechnic University told RIA Novosti that “they were brought to the action in organized classes and courses, first on trains, then on buses.”

Many wore white T-shirts with a red star and the dates of the Great Patriotic War on the chest and the text of the Russian anthem on the back. The protesters held flags in their hands: the usual Russian tricolors and unusual ones - red with a white St. Andrew's Cross.

At the beginning of Leninsky Prospect, a stage was installed from which songs of the war years and modern songs on military themes were played. During breaks between tunes, “our people” chanted: “Glory to the veterans!”, “Hurray for the veterans!”, “Russia!”

The organizers of the event gave veterans of the Great Patriotic War medallions in the form of bullet casings in memory of the Victory, which they, in turn, distributed to young people.

Reinforced police and riot police guarded the action with unprecedented thoroughness, not allowing anyone in except journalists. As Ekho Moskvy reported, even residents of the surrounding houses passed through with passports with registration, and visitors could not get through to the 1st City Hospital at all. When leaving the Leninsky Prospekt metro station, 15 activists of the Red Youth Vanguard were detained, RIA Novosti reported. The detainees unfurled posters and were about to head towards Gagarinskaya Square, where the action was taking place.

Alexander LYUBIMOV