### Elderly Survivor of Leningrad Siege Faces Fine for Peace Protest

Lyudmila Vasilyeva, who endured the Leningrad Siege, is among a growing number of Russians facing repercussions for expressing dissent against the Ukraine conflict.

Russian activist Lyudmila Vasilyeva, aged 84 and a survivor of the Leningrad Siege during World War II, has been fined by a St. Petersburg court for protesting Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. During a hearing held on Friday, the court ordered her to pay 10,000 rubles (approximately $126) for allegedly "discrediting" the Russian military. This charge stemmed from a confrontational demonstration where she displayed a handwritten sign urging, “People, let's stop the war. We are responsible for peace on the planet Earth. With love, Lyudmila Vasilyeva, child of the Leningrad blockade.”

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian government has intensified its crackdown on dissent regarding its military activities, leading to a chilling atmosphere for critics. In an interview with AFP prior to her court appearance, Ms. Vasilyeva expressed feelings of "bitterness" and "hurt" regarding her nation's current state, stating, "I have always been someone who is not indifferent... I have always been on the side of the weak."

On the day of her hearing, she received a warm welcome from dozens of supporters outside the courthouse, which included applauding and presenting her with flowers. As a young girl, Ms. Vasilyeva lived through the harsh realities of the Leningrad Siege, which lasted 872 days—resulting in the deaths of around 800,000 people due to starvation and warfare. The legacy of her mother’s words, "We will get through everything, as long as there is no war," resonates deeply with her activism today.

A long-time opponent of the current conflict, Ms. Vasilyeva has faced detention previously for her protests and even made an unsuccessful attempt to run for governor of St Petersburg last year. The laws employed by the Russian government target a wide range of expressions deemed to undermine the military, encompassing everything from simple anti-war banners to subtle forms of dissent. Military experts suggest significant losses have occurred on both sides, with estimates of Russian military casualties ranging from 165,000 to 235,000.

As the war in Ukraine continues into its third year, the environment for activism remains perilous in Russia, with many individuals like Vasilyeva facing legal penalties for their efforts to speak out against the ongoing hostilities.