Featured Image Credit: Brian Tyler Cohen/Twitter
Topics: News
Ali Condon
A shocking video of an elderly woman's arrest has gone viral, after she was caught joining an anti-war protest in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The large-scale protest took place last week in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but was shut down by Russian officers.
Watch the video here:
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According to the BBC, the woman in the video is well-known activist Yelena Osipova - a 77-year-old woman who had survived Nazi Germany's Siege of Leningrad during World War II.
In the video, Osipova stands silently among crowds of protesters, holding up two placards.
It's not long, however, before police officials seize Osipova and remove her from the crowd.
Footage of her arrest has since gone viral online, with supporters around the world commending the 77-year-old for her courage.
Among those sharing the video online was Member of European Parliament Hannah Neumann, who tweeted: "This is not #Russa's war, this is #Putin's war. This is not about #DeNazification, this is about destroying the international order that guaranteed peace in Europe after the #Holocaust.
"Thank you Yelena Osipova for your courage. And shame on you #Putin."
Meanwhile, Senior Fellow and Director of Middle East Institute Syria program Charles Lister tweeted: "#Putin's police arrested a 76yr old woman today in #StPetersburg - for protesting against the invasion of #Ukraine.
"How brave & patriotic of them! Yelena Osipova survived the Siege of Leningrad from 1941-1944."
The shocking footage comes as Russian and Ukraine officials prepare for a third round of peace talks on the Belarusian border.
Russia has pledged to hold a temporary ceasefire to allow for Ukrainian citizens to escape the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Marupol, and Sumy, though it has failed to stand by earlier ceasefires.
It's reported by the UN that approximately 1.5 million refugees have already fled Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a warning to Russia, stating: "We will not forgive hundreds and hundreds of victims, thousands and thousands suffering. And God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.
"And instead of forgiveness, there will be a day of judgement."