Yesterday, February 23, when Russian Federation celebrated Motherland Defenders' day (or Soviet Army day, as it was in USSR), Ukrainian members of Transnational Radical party took part in international action of protest against war in Chechnia and against militarism, for a right to refuse military service for reasons of conscience.

Picketing of Russian Embassy in Kiev, 8 Kutuzov st., took place since 12 till 1 P.M. Kiev time. Permission to carry out the action was not obtained. However, 12 activists of Radical party came to Russian Embassy in Kiev with symbols of Radical party and slogans: "GUERNICA, DRESDEN, HIROSHIMA, VUKOVAR, GROZNY"; "NO TO MILITARISM IN RUSSIA"; "INTERNATIONAL COURT FOR WAR CRIMES IN CHECHNYA"; "STOP BLOODSHED IN CHECHNYA"; and others. Security service demanded to stop the manifestation and free the territory of the Embassy, but after negotiations they allowed to carry out the manifestation. Representatives of the Embassy met with a delegation of manifesting, who expressed their worry about violation of Human rights by Russian side during the conflict in Chechnia, and their protest against genocide being committed by Russian forces, and appealed Russian government to find way and means to provide peaceful settlement of the conflict in Chechnia. At the end of the meeting, radicals handed the representatives of the

Embassy letters and telegrams received in Radical party Kiev office during the period of war in Chechnia.

However, action of RP attracted attention of not only security service, but of strangers, who expressed their full solidarity with RP's position in different ways, from approving exclamations to expression of political ideas represented by slogans of activists. However, the action staggered the most Chechen refugees, some of whom live in Kiev. Russian woman, a refugee from Grozny, spoke with activists. Her husband and son are military men of Russian armed forces. She told participants of the manifestation, that because of the war started by Russia she had to leave her home, that she has created all her life, and now she lacks money even to buy some bread.

During the action, printed information about Radical party was given to all who wished to get it. The same day, independent TV company "UTAR" broadcasted a report on the action in two issues of "News-UTAR" (on 9:30 and 11:40 P.M.)