An event to mark two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine takes place this afternoon (Friday) at the Russian Embassy in Dublin. The event, which takes place between 3 and 4pm, has been organised by a group of activists, including a retired member of Fórsa, who have continued to hold a peaceful protest at the embassy since the February 2022 invasion.

John Farrelly retired from the CDETB a couple of years ago and was an active member of the union. He is one of around 50 regular protesters that have, since the invasion of Ukraine on 24^th February 2022, gathered daily outside the Russian Embassy in Dublin.

He explained: “As part of our ongoing protest we are organising this event to mark two years of Russian invasion, two years of Russia’s full scale war, and two years of peaceful protest at the embassy on Orwell Road,” he said.

The one-hour event starts at 3pm. John said friends, family and supporters will gather to remember those who have been killed in Ukraine by Russian president Vladimir Putin’s regime, including Pierre Zakrewski, Rory Mason, Finbar Cafferkey and Graham Dale.

“As the illegal invasion of Ukraine continues, we wanted to give people the opportunity to reflect, to remember the thousands of innocent civilians killed, injured and displaced by this war, in a spirit of solidarity with the people of Ukraine,” he said.

John says the group of protesters who gather at the Russian embassy is a very diverse group of individuals: “The unifying force for us as a group is a fierce determination to oppose the criminal invasion of Ukraine by Putin and his regime.”

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