More demonstrations demanding greater public spending on army needs are held in several Ukrainian cities

Demonstrations were held in Cherkasy, Odesa and Dnipro on 21 October to demand that more public money be spent to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Source: Suspilne; Dumskaya Odesa media; D1 TV channel

Demonstration in Cherkasy on 21 October

Photo: Suspilne

Details: The protesters who gathered outside the city council building in Cherkasy were demanding that members of Cherkasy City Council spend public money to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The citizens were outraged by the councillors' decision during the last council meeting to support the development of basketball infrastructure. UAH 1.5 million (roughly US$41,000) has been allocated for sport, said Artem Kivak from Cherkasy, one of the organisers of the protest.

The protesters chanted "Money for the Armed Forces", "My kids need their dad to stay alive", and other slogans.

Hundreds of Odesans gathered, as is traditional, under the walls of Odesa City Hall to demand the allocation of funding from the city budget to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Demonstration in Odesa on 21 October

Photo: Dumskaya

The demonstrators chanted "Everything for victory", "Put the Armed Forces first", and "Hey government, listen to the community". They unfurled huge banners that read "Hena, give our money to the Armed Forces" [Hennadii Trukhanov is the mayor of Odesa – ed.] and "[UAH] 900 million for drones and electronic warfare."

Demonstration in Odesa on 21 October

Photo: Dumskaya

At the end of the demonstration, the protesters honoured the memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine and took a joint photo on the steps of City Hall.

Protesters in Dnipro also called on the city authorities to use money from the budget primarily for the needs of the military.

They held up posters that read "Drones for the military, not paving", "Money for the Armed Forces", and "Ammunition, not a sports stadium", among others.

Background:

• Demonstrations calling for more public money to be spent on helping the army have been taking place in a number of cities since the beginning of September. Such protests are regularly held in Kyiv and Odesa in particular.

• During martial law, the organisation of peaceful gatherings, protests, marches and demonstrations, as well as sporting, educational, cultural and religious events, shows and entertainment attended by a large number of people, is only possible under exceptional circumstances and subject to approval in writing.

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