site.btaUPDATED Protesters in Belgrade Rally against War in Ukraine

A protest against the war in Ukraine took place in Belgrade on Saturday, with participants demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, Serbian media reported. At the rally, organized by the Russian Democratic Society in Serbia to mark 10 months since the start of the war, citizens carried anti-war signs in different languages with slogans such as "The light in the hearts of Ukrainians will not go out", "Putin, hands off Ukraine" and "Stop the war, please".

One of the founders of the Russian Democratic Society, Pyotr Nikitin, told reporters that the main message of the protest is that the war in Ukraine "is not Russia's war, but the war of its President Vladimir Putin."

After speeches at the Republic Square, a procession of more than a hundred protesters headed to the Russian Embassy in Belgrade, but the police did not allow them to approach the building.

Serbia is one of the few countries where, in addition to peaceful protests in support of Ukraine, rallies in support of Russia are held, organized by right-wing parties, some church and informal groups, Radio Free Europe noted.

While it condemns the aggression against Ukraine, Serbia refuses to introduce sanctions against Russia. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, thousands of Russians have come to Serbia.

According to official data, there are around 5,000 Ukrainian refugees in Serbia.