'Demand Putin to stop the war': Ukraine Foreign Min Dmytro Kuleba urges people of Russia

In a last-ditch effort to halt the invasion of Ukraine, the country's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba appealed to the people of Russia to demand an end to the war and restore peace between the nations. 

In a recorded address published on Instagram late Sunday, Kuleba said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had dragged the country into war but it is the citizens of Russia who will suffer the consequences.

"The whole world has united to support Ukraine, to stop Putin. Unprecedented in history sanctions have been applied against Russia. It is you who suffer," he said in the Russian language.

Kuleba cited sanctions that will prohibit Russians from paying with their cards or travelling abroad. "And this is just the beginning. Further, it will be worse. The Russian economy will crawl down under the pressure of sanctions, prices will begin to rise, inflation," he warned. 

Demand Putin to stop the war: Ukrainian Minister

The Minister called on Russians to demand from Putin to stop the war and assured them that Ukraine was not going to attack anyone and wanted to live in peace.

"I think you have a very simple tool to stop this madness. Demand from Putin to stop the war. Ukraine has not attacked anyone and does not plan to attack anyone. We want to live in peace. But for this, Putin must stop the war and the destruction of the Russian economy, which has already begun, and from which you will suffer. Save your country. Demand from Putin to stop the war," the Ukrainian Minister said. 

Russian forces began the invasion of its smaller neighbour on Thursday, drawing sanctions and international condemnation. As missiles fell on Ukrainian cities, nearly 400,000 civilians, mainly women, and children have fled into neighbouring countries. The ongoing war has killed at least 352 Ukrainian civilians and injured 1,684 people including 116 children.

Protests erupt in Russia against military actions in Ukraine

Since February 24, major cities in Russia including Moscow’s St. Petersburg have witnessed protests against the country's military actions on Ukrainian citizens. Russian citizens flocked to the streets in support of people in Ukraine, urging their own government to end the conflict and pursue diplomatic talks with the neighbouring country.

Image: AP