Photo feauture by Tim Johnson

AFTER WEEKS OF stalled diplomatic negotiations between the West and Russia, as well as warnings from the international intelligence community, Russia voted to recognize the separatist-held territories in the Donbas region as the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.

This was followed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on state television announcing a “special military operation” against Ukraine to demilitarize the country and remove from power what the Russian government calls nationalists.

The invasion has left many Edmontonians of Ukrainian descent worried and outraged, and has brought people together to express their dismay.

On a cold and cloudy day, a small group of protesters came together in front of the SAMU building at MacEwan University, many covered in the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag.

As more protesters arrived, they greeted one another with hugs and engaged in friendly conversations before preparing themselves for a major rally along 109th Street

Stretching from MacEwan to the Legislature grounds, hundreds of protesters crowded the avenue with the blue-and-yellow as they chanted their support for Ukraine and their opposition to Putin.

The protest was among many held around the world over the weekend, as Ukrainian forces stubbornly held out against Russian forces.