Your browser does not support this video format.
BELGRADE, Apr 15Several thousand people took part in a mass rally in support of Russia in the center of Belgrade, a RIA Novosti correspondent reports. The reason for the event called «Not on my behalf» was Serbia's vote for Russia's withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council. The organizers were the «People's Patrol» of Damnyan Knezevic and the «Obraz» movement of Mladen Obradovic, who had already held actions in support of Russia in March. At about 19:00 local time, hundreds of people gathered in the center of Belgrade, near the monument to Nicholas II, across the street from the residence president. Then their number grew to several thousand. The participants of the action brought the flags of Russia, Serbia, DPR, LPR, New Russia and the black-yellow-white flag of the Russian Empire. Some were wearing T-shirts with the symbol Z. Russian and Serbian songs sounded from the speakers. In addition, the protesters unfurled a tricolor about 20 meters long, which looks like the Serbian flag on one side and the Russian flag on the other. The protesters blocked the main street of Kralja Milana, and then marched in a column through the city center, past the General Staff, the Ministry of Defense, the government and the Foreign Ministry.
Your browser does not support this video format.
«Crimea is Russia, Kosovo is Serbia. Serbs and Russians are brothers forever!» they chanted, lighting flares and waving flags. In front of the Belarusian embassy, demonstrators shouted slogans in support of President Alexander Lukashenko. At the Russian embassy, the procession stopped and an impromptu rally took place. “I ask our Russian brothers, diplomats and journalists, who are here now and hear us, to convey our full support to Russia and say that the vote in the UN was not on our behalf,” Damnyan Knezhevich said. Other speakers also condemned the West, which imposes on the authorities Serbia anti-Russian agenda. In addition, the participants observed a minute of silence in memory of the Serbian volunteer Stefan Dimitrievich, who recently died in the Donbass. After the performance of the Russian and Serbian anthems, the participants of the procession went to the Church of St. Sava to light candles in memory of those killed in the Donbass. The action ended peacefully. On April 7, the UN General Assembly voted to suspend Russia's participation in the Human Rights Council. The reason was the events in Ukraine. Serbia, among others, supported the resolution — as Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic later explained, the republic was forced to do so due to pressure from the West, primarily threats to oil supplies. The day after the vote, it became known that Serbia was excluded from the fifth package of EU sanctions against Russia. The Kremlin noted that all countries that take a balanced position on the issue of Russia's membership in the UNHRC are under pressure, they are forced into Russophobia .
UN Commissioner for Human Rights condemned Russophobia, Moskalkova said