Call for protest against the illegal attendance of russian frigate « Shtandart » to « L’Armada Rouen », Saturday, February 18, 2023

« Ukraine-Normandie Association » (UNA) urges all those partial to join the protest in the city of Rouen (France) on February 18, 2023 at 14:30 p. Our goal is to prevent the participation of the Russian frigate « Shtandart » in the national event « L’Armada Rouen 2023 ». The march will start from the Place de la Cathedrale in the direction of the L’Armada office (Boulevard Emile Duchemin) and will end around 16:00.

Since June 2022, the frigate « Shtandard » has a permanent place of residence in the port of La Rochelle, which is a violation of the fifth package of European sanctions. In addition, this frigate was « invited » (actually a commercial paid service) to participate in a national-level festival under the Russian flag. After public pressure, the organizers of « L’Armada Rouen 2023 » changed the concept of participation for this frigate, demanding that it will participate under the Ukrainian flag («76actu», January 10, 2023). We consider this unacceptable and cynical abuse of Ukrainians who have lost their homes, relatives and loved ones. Can you imagine that in France in 1944, after the de-occupation, someone would say let’s welcome a participant from Hitler’s Germany who, despite the large number of deaths of your relatives due to bombing and war, will simply use your flag? Most likely not.

As for the free movement of the frigate in France, this also raises many questions. After all, the provision that entered into force on April 16, 2022 provides for « a ban on granting access to EU ports to vessels registered under the Russian flag. » It applies to all member states of the European Union. Why did the Russian frigate « Shtandart » become an exception and the organizers of the event and the prefectures of the departments are violating the law?