* Photos: Tayfun Mater - bianet
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Russia's invasion of Ukraine is being protested in front of Russia's embassies and consulates all across the world, including İstanbul.
Earlier today (February 25), a protest demonstration was held in front of Russia's Consulate General in İstanbul's Beyoğlu district.
A woman with a flag of Ukraine in her hand also staged a protest in front of the Consulate building on İstiklal Avenue.
Earlier yesterday, explosions were reported in several Ukrainian provinces, including the capital Kyiv, after Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in the Donbas region.
Tensions had started escalating late last year when Ukraine, the US and its allies accused Russia of amassing tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine. They claimed Russia was preparing to invade its western neighbor, which was consistently rejected by Moscow.
Defying threats of sanctions by the West, Moscow officially recognized Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states earlier this week, followed by the start of a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday.
President Vladimir Putin said the operation aims to protect people "subjected to genocide" by Kyiv and to "demilitarize and de-Nazify" Ukraine, while calling on the Ukrainian army to lay down its arms.
CLICK - bianet news on Russia's invasion of Ukraine
In the face of this invasion, protest demonstrations are held both on the streets and in front of the embassies of Russia in several countries such as the US, Mexico, Chile, Italy, Britain, Georgia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Spain, Germany, Lebanon, the Netherlands and Greece.
As reported by Novaya, 1,816 people were taken into custody during the anti-war protests in several cities in Russia last evening. (AS/SD)
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