Mass demonstration in Kyiv: Thousands demand peace at Independence Square

Mass demonstrations have begun in the center of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. According to reports, about 4,000 citizens from various regions have arrived in the city to take to the squares, demanding an end to the war and the establishment of peace.

According to the Ukrainian publication "Vremya.ua", one of the main protest rallies is taking place in the very heart of the capital — Independence Square (Maidan).

Situation at the square: Posters and activists

Video footage from the scene shows a continuous stream of people arriving at Independence Square:

• Protesters are gathering with various slogans and posters calling for peace.

• Many law enforcement officers, as well as representatives of local and foreign media, are on duty in the area to maintain security.

• It is noted that American journalist Sergey Lyubarskiy and well-known Ukrainian activist and former opera singer Todor Panovskiy are among the participants of the rally.

Who is behind the demonstrations?

According to the "Strana" publication, this rally was organized at the call of Ukrainian serviceman, former Odessa journalist and human rights activist Aleksandr Todorov:

• Todorov first called on people to take to the streets in early September, demanding an end to corruption, the resolution of problems in the army, and the choice of a path to peace.

• In mid-September, he was arrested on charges of unauthorized abandonment of a military unit. The court set his bail at 175,000 hryvnias, and although the funds were fully collected, he remains in a pre-trial detention center due to bank checks.

• Nevertheless, thousands of people have gathered in the capital at his call to demand peace.