Video Shows Russian Soldier Fires Gun Over Heads Of Protesters In Ukraine

A viral video showed a Russian soldier firing his gun over the heads of protesters who walked the streets to show support for their president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian port city of Kherson.

Hundreds of protesters carrying the Ukrainian flag took to the streets of Kherson on Sunday to protest the armed occupation of the city, with many calling the Russian forces “fascist.” The protesters were also seen approaching an armed Russian tank, leading the soldier to fire live rounds into the air, according to a video published by CNN.

“The Russian soldiers were shooting at the air but the Kherson people did not stop and just continued protesting,” Artem Ivanov, a protester, told The Independent. “People were so angry and a lot of the Russian soldiers were blocking the street and trying to stop the meeting. The people living in Kherson are not supporting the Russian Federation and the soldiers, we want to be part of Ukraine.”

No injuries were reported following the incident.

The protest came after Ukrainian officials warned Saturday that Russia could be planning on turning the port city into a breakaway republic.

“Following 2014 playbook, Russians now desperately try to organize a sham ‘referendum’ for a fake ‘people’s republic’ in Kherson,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a tweet, referring to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

“Kherson is & will always be Ukraine,” he added.

Kremlin forces first seized control of Kherson on March 3, a week after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. The city’s mayor, Igor Kolykhaev, said a group of 10 armed Russian officers took over the city hall where they set up a military administration.

Russian President Vladimir Putin first announced a “special military operation” on Feb. 24 to “de-Nazify” Ukraine. Since then, 516 civilians, including 23 children, have been killed and 908 were wounded, according to the United Nations’ report published in March. 9. However, officials for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the figures are more likely to be undercounted.

On Sunday, Russian officials fired missiles into a military facility in Western Ukraine, killing at least 35 people and injuring 134.