[On-site Video] "Putin, Stop the War Immediately!" Tears and Cries of Ukrainian People

[Asia Economy Reporters Seunggon Han, PD Jingeun Yoon, Intern Reporter Wooseok Kang] "Putin, stop the war immediately!"

About 400 civic groups including People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, World Without War, and Solidarity for Social Progress held a joint press conference near the Russian Embassy in Korea on the 28th, calling for the cessation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a peaceful resolution.

The press conference was attended by civic groups, about 30 Ukrainian residents in Korea, Ukrainians and Russians living in Korea, and citizens urging an end to the war.

At the press conference, they raised their voices saying, "War is an inhumane crime that causes disastrous consequences." They further demanded, "Russia must immediately stop its invasion of Ukraine and withdraw its troops."

Kim Pyeongwon, a Korean resident who returned from Ukraine, expressed outrage, saying, "What could possibly send a beloved father to the front lines where death awaits, making his young daughter and father shed endless tears!"

Lee Songyi (41) said, "(Because of the war) there are too many unreasonable casualties, and I think there should be helping hands worldwide for this. I felt strongly that even I should reach out, so I came to the press conference."

The organizations continuously urged Russia to immediately stop all military actions against Ukraine and withdraw its forces. Hwang Sooyoung, team leader of the Peace and Disarmament Center at People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, said, "Military actions only lead to further military actions and arms build-up, so diplomatic solutions must be sought."

They also requested humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian people. In their statement, the groups emphasized, "Since the conflict began in eastern Ukraine in 2014, about 850,000 refugees have been displaced, and it is projected that up to 5 million refugees could emerge in the future." They added, "The international community must make every effort to provide swift humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people."

Meanwhile, foreign media reports continue to indicate that Russia has escalated attacks, including shelling civilian areas, not just military facilities in Ukraine. NBC and other foreign media reported on the 1st (local time) that Russia might even carry out indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas.

NBC reported that on the 28th, the fifth day of the Russian invasion, dozens of shells were fired into civilian residential areas in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Kharkiv has been a battleground between Russian and Ukrainian forces, and the impact has extended to civilian areas.

Videos posted on social media platforms such as Twitter show explosions heard throughout Kharkiv. An apartment building hit by the bombing shook violently and emitted smoke.

Anton Herashchenko, advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, posted on Facebook, "Dozens have died and hundreds have been injured. The whole world must see this horrific scene," sharing footage revealing the devastation.

NBC stated that shelling of civilian areas indicates an escalation in Russia’s attack intensity, and experts warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin may resort to more brutal and aggressive tactics.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.