More than 100,000 people attended a Ukraine solidarity march in Berlin on Sunday, police said, with many protesters dressed in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukraine flag.
Police estimated the turnout at "at least a low six-number figure", while organisers of the march said half a million had turned up.
Bearing posters like "no World War 3", "Stop the killer", or "Berlin at 640 km from the frontlines", the protesters massed at the Brandenburg Gate, a stone's throw away from the imposing Russian embassy on Unter den Linden.
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"It is important to me for Germany to show that it is standing for democracy in Europe," said Hans Georg Kieler, 49, who had turned out at the demonstration.
Protesters crowd around the victory column and close to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to demonstrate for peace in Ukraine on February 27, 2022. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
He voiced approval for Germany's decision to begin delivering armaments to Ukraine, but said he thought "we could have helped Ukraine more".
Germany has stepped up its commitment to apply sanctions to Russia over the weekend, moving to ban Russia from the Swift global payments system and closing off its airspace to Russian planes.
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Ukrainian Valeria Moiseeva, 35, was also at the march.
"I am personally disappointed by Russia, I hate Russia, I hate all Russians," she said, adding that her mother was now sitting in a cellar in Kyiv in fear of bombs.
Protestors holding hearts in the colours of Ukraine march down the Strasse des 17. Juni road between the Victory column and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to demonstrate for peace in Ukraine on February 27, 2022. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
She said she had to be at the demonstration because "I can't do more than that."
Protestor wrapped in Ukrainian flags hold placards reading "Stop Putler" and "Europe, do you need more refugees?" stand in front of Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to demonstrate for peace in Ukraine on February 27, 2022. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
Some demonstrators nodded to the influx of refugees that will inevitably be one consequence of the war Russia declared on Ukraine on Thursday.
More than 368,000 refugees, mainly women and children, have escaped the military fire into neighbouring countries based on data from national authorities, the U.N. refugee agency
said on Sunday.
A large number of those escaping have crossed over into Poland, where the authorities have counted some 156,000 crossing since the invasion started early Thursday.
Border guards counted some 77,300 arrivals from Ukraine on Saturday alone. The refugees have arrived in cars, in packed trains and even on foot.
Those who arrive with nowhere to go can count on the help of volunteers - both members of NGOs and private citizens. Others have also headed to Moldavia, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.
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