Tanks in front of the Russian embassy – thousands at the anti-war demonstration in Berlin

With flags and banners, more than 10,000 people demonstrated against the war on the first anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The goal was illuminated in the evening in the colors of Ukraine blue and yellow.

A total of 12,500 people were registered for the large-scale demonstration. According to the police, around 800 police officers were on duty.

In front of the Russian embassy on Unter den Linden boulevard, an initiative set up a burned-out Russian T-72 tank. There, demonstrators chanted: “Russia is a terrorist state”. Many participants waved Ukrainian flags. They kept shouting “Free Ukraine” and “Stop the war”.

The wrecked T-72 tank arrived in the capital early in the morning. It is to serve as a memorial against the war for a week in front of the embassy. The wreck was aligned across the central reservation of the main street, the cannon pointed at the message.

The initiators of the action said that on March 31, during the Russian army attack on Kiev, the tank hit a mine and was destroyed by the explosion. Soldiers probably died in it. They belonged to a tank unit stationed far in eastern Russia. The Military History Museum of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense lent the tank and also supported its transport.

Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev inspected the tank in the afternoon. The Russian tank wreck is a reminder that shows what it takes to end the war. "Ukraine is responsible for ensuring that such tanks never roll in Europe again," Makeiev said. "We will do everything to push the Russian tanks back to Russia."

Ukraine is very grateful for the German weapons for "our boys and girls on the front line," Makeiev said. "Wars cannot be won without weapons and Ukraine would have been overrun and many thousands of civilians would have been murdered." He emphasized: "We will win this war with great German help."

About the opponents of further arms deliveries, who want to demonstrate in Berlin on Saturday, Makeiev said: "You have to say clearly who the aggressor is and who is defending himself. Peace must be fought for.” He was also in favor of peace demonstrations, but they should take place in front of the Russian embassy. The demonstrators should then shout at the embassy and Russian President Vladimir Putin: "Stop this war."

In solidarity with Ukraine, Ukrainian flags were hoisted in front of Bellevue Palace, the Reichstag, the Chancellery and other central buildings in Berlin on Friday. There were also demonstrations in other cities with thousands of participants.

In Hamburg, the subways stopped for a minute at 12 noon. According to estimates, around 2,500 people came together at rallies in the Hanseatic city. According to estimates, around 1,500 people gathered in Dresden under the motto "Solidarity with Ukraine" on the Neumarkt in front of the Frauenkirche.

The plan to set up a destroyed tank as a memorial in Berlin has a long history. After the Mitte district of Berlin initially refused approval, the initiators from the Museum Berlin Story Bunker pushed through their project in court. The tank was actually supposed to be there longer, but that ultimately failed due to the district's specifications. According to the initiators, the tank will initially be exhibited in the Netherlands from next week.

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