by New Worker correspondent

ACTIVISTS from International Ukraine Anti Fascist Solidarity (IUAFS) protested at the Ukrainian embassy in London last week against the ten year prison sentence for Anatoly Miruta for distributing humanitarian aid, along with thousands of Ukrainian citizens who have been prosecuted, or even some cases murdered, for allegedly co-operating with Russian forces in the past three and a half years.

Miruta and his mother had organised a makeshift shelter in Syniak, a village north of Kiev where locals collected water and charged their phones, when the town was occupied by Russian troops in March 2022.

Miruta said at his trial that all the Ukrainian authorities, soldiers and police had fled from the village, “leaving the people to fend for themselves”.

This month he appealed against his sentence, claiming that the court had ignored statements supporting his case and allowed dubious testimonies from previously unknown witnesses.

The protestors also carried placards declaring “Gonzalo Lira – We haven’t forgotten you”, a reminder of the Chilean-American blogger living in Kharkov who was persecuted by the Kiev government and died in prison in January 2024. An envelope containing this sign was left at the embassy.

A banner calling for justice for the families of the 2014 Odessa House of Trade Unions fire tragedy, and the 1945 Red Army Victory Banner, were also displayed.

Remember Ukraine’s political prisoners!

During the protest, a Ukrainian embassy car with the number-plate “UKR 1” arrived, and seeing the protest drove past without stopping. No doubt the passengers, quite possibly including ambassador Valery Zaluzhny, did not want to engage with activists or risk being photographed with them.

The protest was, as always, disciplined and peaceful, and engaged politely with diplomatic police who came to monitor the action.

If Mr Zaluzhny had wished to enter the embassy, we would have gladly made way for him to do so.

Activists from IUAFS intend to continue to campaign in solidarity with democrats and anti-fascists in Ukraine until peace and democratic rights are fully restored in that country, and the scourge of Banderism and Banderite terrorism has been eliminated.