Ukrainian women in Erbil protest against Russia’s war on Ukraine
ERBIL, KRG, Iraq (North Press) – Ukrainians living in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and their supporters held an anti-war rally on the doorstep of the United Nation’s office in Erbil on Sunday.
A number of Ukrainian women participating in the protest in front of the UN office in the city of Erbil, said that they rejected the Russian war on their country.
The Ukrainian women sent a message to the international community through media outlets to stop what they described as Russian aggression.
“We are here to protest against the war on Ukraine and against the Russian occupation,” said one of the demonstrators.
She considered the Russian attack, as a war against the whole world, because “it violates all conventions and norms.”
At the protest, the Ukrainian flag was raised, and placards calling for and denouncing the end of the Russian war.
Another protester appealed, through North Press, the international community to stop the attack, “The world should see what is happening in Ukraine, and see what Russia and Putin are doing to our country.”
One of the demonstrators expressed her indignation at the Russian allegations and said “Putin wants to protect Ukrainians from what? From whom? We live peacefully in Ukraine.”
“Our situation is hundreds time better than the Russians’. Leave us alone. we don’t want anything from Russia, we just want to live in an independent Ukraine,” she said.
“I want to say that Russia should leave Ukraine alone (..) We are suffering a lot these days.”
There is a Ukrainian community in Erbil, mostly women who work in hotels, tourism and beauty salons.