"Don't Cover Your Crimes With The People's Victory."

• 9.05.2026, 19:30

An 85-year-old St. Petersburg woman came out with such a poster on May 9.

85-year-old Ludmila Vasilyeva, who survived the siege of Leningrad as a child, went to the Solovetsky Stone in St. Petersburg on May 9 with a placard saying, "Don't cover up your crimes with the people's Victory."

Vasilyeva also brought a bouquet of flowers and a candle to the memorial to the Gulag prisoners, "Meduza" reported.

The pensioner was detained and taken to the 43rd police department. Together with her, the journalist who covered the action was taken to the police.

Vasilyeva was released from the police without drawing up a report on an administrative offense. She was asked to write an explanation, but she refused, citing Article 51 of the Russian Constitution, which states that "no one is obliged to testify against himself."

Ludmila Vasilyeva regularly organizes anti-war actions. She has been detained on several occasions. In 2024, she was going to run for governor of St. Petersburg, but failed to collect enough signatures to be nominated. In March 2026, she recorded a video message in which she called for a silent protest. In the video, Vasilyeva showed a daisy, "a simple flower of peace." She also brought a bouquet of daisies to the Solovetsky Stone on May 9.