Protesters have taken to the streets in Madrid to demonstrate their condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On February 24, protesters gathered outside of the Russian Embassy in Madrid, waving Ukrainian flags and holding signs with phrases, such as āStop Putin”, āPazā (Peace), and āStop Russian Aggressionā.
Some protesters were shouting, calling Vladimir Putin a āmurdererā. Others equated the Russian president to terrorists and Adolf Hitler. The group joined together to sing the Ukrainian national anthem, with Ukrainians putting their hands over their hearts in solidarity. Some demonstrators were seen waving the Ukrainian Insurgent Army flag. Throughout the protest, Ukrainian songs were played to raise the spirits of the protesters. Many wore the colors of the Ukrainian flag, or painted the flag on their cheeks.

Photo by Grace Berry.
A large banner was held by the protesters who stood closest to the embassy, reading: āWhen the last Ukrainian soldier falls, Russia will come for the rest of Europe, for each one of you! The world is in danger!ā The protest at the Russian Embassy was peaceful, with Madrid’s police forces ensuring it did not escalate.

Photo is a screen capture from Newsflare.
Many demonstrators were Ukrainian, but people of various nationalities gathered to show their support for Ukraine and its citizens. Among them was Oscar-winning Spanish actor Javier Bardem, who explicitly expressed his condemnation of the āRussian Federationās warlike actions against Ukraineā during an interview with Reuters.
An anonymous protester on the scene explained to the Stork that she āis extremely devastated by what is happening in [her] countryā and that she āfeel[s] like [she] does not have a voice and is without power to do something because [she is] in Madridā. She also added that āthe only thing [she] can do is show [her] support towards the Ukrainian communityā. The protester concluded by saying she āwant[s] this war to end today and foreverā, that her āsoul hurts so muchā, and that she āinsist[s] that the world takes actionā.
The embassy closed at 7 p.m., yet protesters stayed after dark to continue their demonstrations.
On February 25, another protest was held in Puerta del Sol, beginning at 7:30 p.m. There, protesters expressed similar sentiments, holding signs that read āPeace & Freedom in Ukraineā, āPeace!ā, and āNo to the imperialist war in Ukraineā to name a few. In addition to the demonstrations, there was a moment of silence in Plaza de la Independencia at 8 p.m. to honor Ukraine.
Featured photo by Nicholas Kattar.