### Navalny's Widow Leads Berlin Rally Urging Continued Protest Against Putin's Regime

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, took to the streets of Berlin to rally support against President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Addressing the crowd, she emphasized the need for sustained protests, stating, "One protest alone won't change anything. We need to keep coming out."

The demonstrators, carrying both Russian opposition and Ukrainian flags, chanted slogans like "no to war" and "Putin is a killer" in Russian. This rally brought together various factions of Russia's opposition, many of whom have been exiled due to the Kremlin's aggressive crackdown on dissent. The opposition's key demands are the immediate withdrawal of troops from Ukraine, the prosecution of Putin as a war criminal, and the release of all political prisoners in Russia.

Among the protesters was Oleg Orlov, co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization Memorial. Orlov, who was imprisoned in Russia for his anti-war and anti-government stance and now lives in Germany following a prisoner swap in August, displayed a banner that read, "Victory for Ukraine, Defeat for Putin, Freedom for Russia." He urged Ukraine’s allies to continue providing military support, asserting that victory for Putin would solidify his regime's grip on Russia for years to come.

Navalnaya called on the crowd to march not just for themselves but also for those in Russia who are unable to protest due to severe reprisals. "We must march for the political prisoners and for those who have been killed," she implored. Vladimir Kara-Murza, another speaker at the rally, expressed pride in the turnout despite it being smaller than anticipated. "In Russia, it's impossible to do what we just did here today. For any act of protest, you end up in prison," he said, referring to his own experience of over two years of imprisonment, including 11 months in solitary confinement.

Anastasia, a young IT worker originally from Kazan, Russia, left her country in March 2022 in opposition to the war. She highlighted the importance of the rally, noting that it is "impossible to protest in an authoritarian state." The Berlin protest reflected a diverse range of participants, including supporters of Navalny, anarchists, and individuals recruiting for the Ukrainian resistance. Attendees came from far-flung places like Norway, Cyprus, and Poland.

Following the speeches, the crowd gathered beside a memorial for those killed in Ukraine, sharing quiet conversations and singing along with a young man playing guitar. For many, like Polina and her partner, the rally offered a glimmer of hope and a sense of community. "The mood among Russians abroad is bad. People don't believe in change. But it's no shame to do a little. It's a shame to do nothing. That's what Alexei Navalny once said," Polina reflects.