Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Russian community in Belgium, led by Anastasia Kholodilova, fights Putin’s regime and honours Alexei Navalny. After their Navalny memorial at Peter the Great’s statue was vandalized, they sought a permanent tribute in Antwerp.
Tomorrow February 24, 2025, is 3 years since Russia invaded Ukraine. The Russian community in Belgium is still fighting against Putin’s rule. They believe his power is getting stronger, so it is important to keep speaking out.
According to Anastasia Kholodilova, a leader in the movement, they must stand up against oppression like Alexei Navalny did. She believes they should not be afraid and should take action every day to stop Putin. For Kholodilova and her group, their work is about remembering Navalny and fighting against the Kremlin while supporting Ukraine.
Who vandalized the Navalny memorial in Antwerp amid the Ukraine war?
Even after their memorial for Navalny was damaged, the activists felt supported by the local community. Kholodilova says they get help from the neighbourhood and that the police take them seriously. They want to show that not all Russians back Putin’s war.
Kholodilova plans to file a complaint with the police about the vandalism. She and others are also asking for a permanent memorial for Navalny in Antwerp, like a special square. The local official, Ben Casier, has agreed to consider their request.
We also get a lot of support from the neighbourhood,
says Kholodilova,
and the police take us seriously. So we continue to fight and keep talking about Navalny’s fate and the importance of democracy.
One week ago, Russian community members met at the statue of Tsar Peter the Great to remember Alexei Navalny. He died in a Siberian prison camp a year ago. They made a memorial with photos and a block with his name.
Anastasia Kholodilova helped start the memorial. She said the statue stands for Russia’s desire to control others, like Putin’s actions. The event was not just to honour Navalny but also to protest against Putin’s government and the war in Ukraine.
“That statue symbolizes the imperialist, chauvinistic Russia that tries to conquer everyone, a kind of Putin figure,”
said initiator Anastasia Kholodilova at the time.
A few days after the memorial for Navalny, it was attacked. His photos were covered in graffiti. Soon after, all the photos and the block with his name were stolen. The statue of Peter the Great was also painted red. Kholodilova felt angry and worried about this. She asked who did it and why.
Kholodilova wants to keep fighting for Navalny’s memory. She said they will not give up, even if it takes more work to fix the damage. For her and her group, remembering Navalny means standing against oppression and supporting Ukraine.
Putin’s regime is getting stronger every day, so we feel responsible to continue taking action, as Navalny did.
Anastasia Kholodilova
