A video has gone viral on Russian social media apparently showing a Russian pilot speaking out against the invasion of Ukraine. Little is known about the name of the pilot, or on what flight this took place. However, it has been suggested by some sources that he works for Pobeda, a subsidiary of Aeroflot, the largest airline in Russia.
In the video, the pilot speaks over the plane's intercom and says:
"Ladies and gentlemen, here is your captain speaking. Welcome to Antalya. Thank you for flying with Pobeda. Also, from me personally: the war with Ukraine is a crime."
Adding:
"The war in Ukraine is a crime. I think sensible citizens will agree with me and will do everything to make it stop."
“Ladies and gentlemen, here is your captain speaking. Welcome to Antalya. Thank you for flying with “Pobeda”. Also, from me personally: the war with Ukraine is a crime…”.
— olexander scherba🇺🇦 (@olex_scherba) March 11, 2022
This brave 🇷🇺 pilot makes a statement. #StandWithUkraine️ pic.twitter.com/rzUo1BBIP2
The video has now been watched hundreds of thousands of times and is available on YouTube, one of the few remaining social media sites that are not currently banned in Russia. Comments on the YouTube video heaped praise on the pilot, including:
"Brave hero. The price of freedom people like this are willing to pay is a testament to the world!"
"Thank you sir for speaking out. Bravo."
"Rare to see public opposition to the war given the consequences such a statement will have."
"Good to hear even scattered applause from the passengers too. I'd have expected at least a few jeers based on some of the reporting of Russian public opinion/how Russians are expected to express themselves in public right now."
New restrictive laws in Russia now mean that anyone referring to the invasion of Ukraine as a 'war' can be imprisoned for up to 15 years, as can anyone spreading what the Russian government deems as 'fake news' about the conflict. In all official state news channels, the brutal invasion of Ukraine, the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II, the war is referred to as a 'special military operation' to demilitarise and 'de-nazify' Ukraine. Ukraine's president is of Jewish origin and many of his ancestors were killed in the Nazi holocaust.
[Based on reporting by: LadBible]
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