Speaking at the Oxford Russian Club, the Russian Ambassador to the UK, Andrey Kelin, downplayed the brutality of Russian military action in Ukraine and said that refugees in Oxford who have fled the violence may return home if they want to, but will likely be conscripted.
"The end of doomer politics will require the ideal scenario of regime change, and then that the West actually demonstrate to Russians that there is a workable alternative to the way their country is run."
A key theme of the panel was the unanimity of the speakers. All three were in agreement that Russia’s actions are both unexpected and condemnable, and that the West’s reaction has pleasantly surprised them in its strength and collaborative nature.
Hundreds of people from across Oxford turned out to protest the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The protest was held after Kyiv and other major cities spent another night under attack.
As the news broke that Russian forces are invading Ukraine, students, academics and members of the Ukrainian community in Oxford gathered on the Radcliffe square to protest the war and show solidarity with Ukraine.
