[UPDATED] Ukrainians in Malaysia protest invasion at Russian embassy

KUALA LUMPUR – A group of Ukrainians have gathered outside the Russian Embassy here today to protest against the unprovoked invasion of their motherland.

Police presence was also seen monitoring the area, with some officers taking photos of protestors’ identification documents.

Speaking to the media, one of the protestors called for people all over the world to take to the streets to voice their objection to the Russian government’s aggression.

This comes amid a recent Russian attack into the sovereign territory of Ukraine, which has seen dozens killed in various areas including the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

However, it remains unclear as to who exactly had organised the gathering tonight.

A protester who wished to remain anonymous told The Vibes that she had come to know about the gathering through a poster that had been forwarded to one of her WhatsApp groups.

To her knowledge, the event had not been planned by Ukrainians in Malaysia.

Nonetheless, the Ukrainian lady said that she is thankful for the initiative as her fellow citizens need every ounce of support that can be gathered.

“While we are standing here and talking, people at home are being taken by our enemies,” she said, adding that she anxiously calls her family in Kyiv hourly as their home is in the middle of the warzone.

To honour the passing of their kin who lost their lives due to the unprovoked attack, the group had lit candles symbolising their mourning, while chanting “Slava Ukraini” (glory to Ukraine).

In an emotional outpour to The Vibes, a Ukrainian protestor named Svetlana spoke of her wishes for the situation in Ukraine to improve as soon as possible.

“Of course, we are hoping that the war being waged on the country will end soon while praying for peace,” she said.

Having braved the rains and winds tonight to stand among her fellow countrymen and other like-minded supporters of their cause, Svetlana urged for others to be more vocal in backing the Ukrainian cause.

“We are gathered here today to show the world that they should be expressing more support and initiating more action for the people of Ukraine.

“Through our peaceful gathering, we hope that others will see how Malaysians and foreigners in Malaysia are standing in support of Ukraine,” she said.

While a good majority of the group consisted of Ukrainians, there were also representatives from other countries present among the roughly 20 odd crowd.

Gaurav, an Indian national, said that he had come to join the throng of people grouped outside of the embassy because it feels “right” for him to show his solidarity against the Russian invasion.

“I have friends and family in Ukraine, so I stand with the people of Ukraine against the unprovoked attacks that have been thrown their way,” he said.

Similarly, 25-year-old Thai national Narintip attended the protest to accompany her 27-year-old Ukrainian boyfriend whose family lives 30km away from the war-affected area in Kyiz.

“These past few days have been emotionally traumatising for my boyfriend and I as we both wait for news from his family.

“The situation in Ukraine is constantly changing by the hour and we are always feeling on the edge while we wait and pray for positive updates,” she told The Vibes. – The Vibes, February 25, 2022