Bikers from Crimea staged a demonstration against the backdrop of protests in Prague

Russian bikers brought the eternal flame from Sevastopol to Prague. Their arrival caused protests - activists called the motorcycle rally an attempt to spread Kremlin propaganda in the EU.

This was reported by Krym.Realii.

On May 6, European members of the Russian motorcycle club "Night Wolves" arrived in Prague to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II. The bikers gathered near the Olszany cemetery, where a monument to the war dead was erected. Several dozen participants of the motorcycle rally wore clothes with St. George's ribbons.

The convoy was accompanied by both supporters and opponents of their action. The protesters called the arrival of the Night Wolves an attempt to spread Kremlin propaganda.

We are here to say no to Putin's fifth column, which is trying to influence the democratic Czech Republic. Russian bikers are not allowed to enter the EU, so collaborators from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and other countries come to act for them," said Otakar Vangemund, one of the organizers of the protest.

Several supporters came to support the Russian club, also with St. George's ribbons. They explained their presence by their desire to honor the memory of those who died in World War II and to support the motorcycle club, which visited Prague every year.

During the wreath-laying ceremony, one of the bikers unfurled a Russian flag. The head of the German branch of the Night Wolves said that they had brought a part of the eternal flame from occupied Sevastopol and emphasized that the memory of the heroes should not disappear.

Although the club and its leader, Oleksandr "Surgeon" Zaldostanov, have been under US and EU sanctions since 2014 and 2022, an organization associated with the motorcycle club has been operating in the Czech Republic.

Recently, the May 9 parade in occupied Crimea, Sevastopol, was canceled, citing a security threat after a Ukrainian maritime drone downed a Su-30 fighter jet. Ukraine warned that it could not guarantee the safety of foreigners at Russian events. Meanwhile, the European Court of Justice proved that Russia systematically violates human rights in Crimea. 1101 lawsuits from Ukrainians have already been registered, and about 60% of them concern the expropriation of property.

Анна Бальчінос