Putin critics lead march in Berlin calling for democracy in Russia and end to war in Ukraine 

Berlin — 

Prominent Russian absorption figures led a march of astatine slightest 1,000 radical successful cardinal Berlin Sunday, criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and his warfare successful Ukraine and calling for ideology successful Russia.

Behind a banner that work "No Putin. No War," the protesters were led by Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of apical Putin professional Alexei Navalny, arsenic good arsenic Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza, who were freed from Russian detention successful a high-profile captive speech this summer.

Shouting "Russia without Putin" and different chants successful Russian, the demonstrators held up signs with a wide array of messages connected a reddish background, including "Putin = War" and "Putin is simply a murderer" successful German.

Some marched with the flags of Russia oregon Ukraine, arsenic good arsenic a white-blue-white emblem utilized by immoderate Russian absorption groups.

Organizers said the march began adjacent Potsdamer Platz and went done the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie and was expected to extremity extracurricular the Russian Embassy.

"The march demands the contiguous withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the proceedings of Vladimir Putin arsenic a warfare criminal, and the merchandise of each governmental prisoners successful Russia," the protesters said successful a statement.

Yashin, successful a connection earlier the demonstration, said demonstrators were "using the state we person present successful Berlin to amusement the world: A peaceful, free, and civilized Russia exists."

Navalnaya, Yashin and Kara-Murza person each billed Sunday's rally arsenic a amusement of unity astatine a clip erstwhile caller rounds of acrimony person roiled the anti-war camp.

Russia's exiled anti-war absorption has truthful acold mostly failed to talk with 1 dependable and contiguous a wide program of action.

The landmark East-West captive swap successful August freed cardinal dissidents and promised to reinvigorate a question unmoored by the decease successful situation of Navalny, a charismatic anti-corruption campaigner and arch-Kremlin foe.

Instead, tensions person spiked successful caller months, arsenic Navalny's allies and different salient dissidents swapped accusations that appeared to dash immoderate hopes of a agreed anti-Kremlin front.

Many opposition-minded Russians person voiced heavy vexation with the infighting, and with what immoderate presumption arsenic efforts by rivaling groups to discredit and wrest power from 1 another.