Stop de Oorlog
On the 24th of February 2026 we gathered again in Amsterdam for the Stop de Oorlog protest, marking four years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Evgeniy Klenovyi spoke at the rally. He fled Russia to avoid mobilization. He refuses to become part of a war he did not choose and does not believe in.
He joined our movement over a year ago. Young, reserved, trying to rebuild his life from scratch. He had to abandon his plans, his home, his future as he knew it — simply to avoid being turned into a weapon.
It took time for him to feel safe. And it took time to understand that safety is not the same as silence. Silence protects no one
I left Russia because of mobilization and I’m against Putin regime.
I can’t to be quiet.
I left everything behind me . I left my home, I left my family, I left the country, I left my job.
War destroys cities and kills people. Families lose their loved ones. No political goal is more important than human life. A government should not force people to take part in aggression against another country.
I believe every person has the right to speak the truth and to refuse to support injustice. When there is violence, silence often means agreement. That is why I choose to speak.
I share the values that Alexei Navalny spoke about:
– fighting corruption
– change of power through elections
– independent courts
– freedom of speech
– respect for human dignity
For me, peace is not only the absence of war. Peace means living in a country where you can speak freely, where the government does not punish you for criticism, and where people are not afraid of the state.
I want to live in a place where I can openly express my beliefs — in public, in conversations, and in the media — without fear of punishment.
If a person must hide their beliefs to stay safe, that is not real freedom. I cannot deny my principles just to stay silent. I choose to stay honest with myself.
Peace begins when a person says:
“I do not support violence.”
And I say it clearly.
I support peace not because it is safe, but because it is right.
Evgenyi Klenovyi