Below are photos, as well as an accompanying description from an exhibit that was organized by Canadians for Democracy in Russia and Euromaidan Canada Committee. In opposition to the war in Ukraine, the exhibit aims to provide insight into events taking place in Eastern Ukraine and Russia’s involvement. More specifically, the exhibit aims to reveal evidence of Russian support for anti-government militants, as well demonstrate the brutal and violent nature of the conflict. For information about the exhibit please visit http://thewarinukraine.info
On February 27, 2015, one of the key opposition leaders in Russia who strongly opposed the war in Ukraine, Boris Nemtsov (pictured above) was assassinated in Moscow. At 23:40 local time, he was shot in the back right near the walls of Kremlin, Moscow. Several weeks before his death, in two different interviews, Nemtsov expressed his fears that Putin may have him killed for his political activities. Nemtsov was one of the most eminent figures who resisted Putin’s regime, and as Russia invaded Crimea and the Donbass, he openly denounced the war, and conducted investigations exposing the violations of the Russian government in Ukraine. A number of times he accused Putin personally of initiating and conducting this war. As concerns Ukraine itself, Nemtsov was a vocal supporter of the Maidan revolution, and the country’s movement towards a free, democratic and European future, whilst denouncing the corrupt and pro-Kremlin rgime of Yankovich.
During the last months of his life, he was preparing a meticulously researched report about the war in Ukraine, revealing facts about the involvement of the Russian government and the crimes committed by the Russian government. He was unable to finish it, and a significant amount of his materials and research is now lost (immediately after he was murdered, the same night the Russian authorities conducted a search in his flat, and confiscated all documents and materials). Nevertheless, Nemtsov’s friends, other opposition figures in Russia, finished and published in May 2015 his report “Putin War (available here http://www.putin-itogi.ru/putin-voina/),” using his materials which remained and which they were able to collect.
March 1, 2015, was supposed to be the day of a massive anti-government protest in Russia, one of the organizers of which was Boris Nemtsov. As he was assassinated three days before the event, the demonstration became a mourning procession. Under heavy special police security over 50,000 people came to the streets of Moscow and to the bridge where Nemtsov was shot.
