Budapest residents protest against Putin

Yesterday, around 4,000 Budapest residents took to the streets to protest the visit to Hungary by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Protesters held placards and banners with slogans such as «Путин – нет, Европа –да» ("Putin – no, Europe – yes"), «Не будем колонией» ("We will not be a colony"), and «Русские домой» ("Russians go home").

Several people addressed the demonstrators, one of whom was Margarita Rymarenko from Krym, who is currently undergoing training in Budapest.

 The demonstrators protested not only against Putin's visit but also against the policies of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is a supporter of Putin and backs him in every way. It was he who proposed handing over part of Ukrainian territory to Hungary after Russia's annexation of Crimea.

 Unprecedented security measures are in place in the city. Putin will be guarded by an entire army of bodyguards. All of Hungary's special units and the police are on full alert.  Citizens are strictly forbidden from filming Putin's motorcade; moreover, they are advised not to come to the centre of Budapest without urgent necessity and not to open the windows of their apartments along the route of the Russian President's motorcade.

 In addition, chefs will arrive from Moscow to Budapest, bringing their own food supplies, so the Russian President will eat exclusively dishes prepared by trusted chefs.