This Thursday, February 24 at 6 p.m., around fifty people gathered at Place de la Liberation in Dijon, to show their support for the Ukrainian people and to ask for peace. Portraits.
They are about fifty to have gathered at 6 p.m., place of the release in Dijon. Trade unions, associations, but also men and women, who came spontaneously to support the Ukrainian people and express their feelings.
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Like many people from Dijon, Agathe Bonnin discovered the extent of the situation this morning: Putin has invaded Ukraine, war has been declared. : “I heard the news at 7 a.m. on the radio. A good awakening! My first emotion was sadness, but also a lot of anxiety about what was to come. It is a dramatic situation. I think it’s important to be there to show that public opinion is mobilized, that we don’t care.”.
She came with her friend Sylvain Nocquard, very shocked by the situation in Ukraine. “I feel a mixture of anger, bewilderment and anguish, a bit like after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in 2015. I know we can’t do much, but we have to show that we are determined to Do not abandon. »
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Further in the crowd, we can see a small yellow and blue panel: the flag of Ukraine decked out with a dove, a symbol of peace. Gérard Déclas taught history, and today he finds it hard to believe the turn that great history is taking. ” We did not expect that. Yes, we had seen that there was great tension, and that it had degenerated in recent days, but we did not think that Putin was going to take action. It is a feeling of great injustice for this people. »
He came with a former colleague, an English teacher, who is also still stunned. “I find it hard to get used to the idea that the war will come to Europe’s doorstep. It’s a cold shower” says Béatrice Seuzaret.
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It’s not just people from Dijon this evening at Place de la Liberation, a young blonde woman is also present. Daria Vinokurova, is Russian, she has lived in Dijon for four years. “My parents in Siberia, they only have TV. And there they hear that it is an operation to protect the Russians on the border, who are attacked by the Ukrainians. Fortunately, there are social networks, because maybe that way they will have access to other information. »
Despite Putin’s propaganda in her country, she assures us that the emotion is also very strong in Russia. “It is absolutely unacceptable what is happening. I can not believe it. All Russians are against war. I saw that many people try to find associations to send money and help Ukrainians. But it’s still very confusing at the moment. »
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Like Daria, many people came alone, strong in their conviction. Hélène Gueury is 25 years old, she came alone after seeing a message on social networks. “There, I saw that there were military maneuvers near the Chernobyl site… I’m very afraid of what could happen. We wonder how far it could go. It is dread. »
With the colors of Ukraine on the eyelids, she delivers a message full of courage. “If I’m here, it’s also to send a message to the French government. The measures that will be taken will have an impact on our lives, we know that, but the defense of Ukraine and of democracy comes first. »
After an hour, the Dijonnais dispersed, taking with them their concerns, faced with an unstable and never again uncertain situation.
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