- Title: Posters appear in Moscow accusing famous Swedes of backing Nazism
- Date: 5th May 2022
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ALEXANDRA, NO SURNAME GIVEN, 68, SAYING: "I think the posters are timely in light of recent events. Not very good events for us, Russians, and for the entire world. Why the right time? If Europeans consider themselves democratic countries, then I think it's entirely democratic to express an alternative point of view and show people a different opinion. Not showing people narrowly focused information that Russians are bad, or Russians are the aggressors. Russians are not aggressors, Russians protect their country, their interests, and their people." CROWNS ON THE WALL OF THE SWEDISH EMBASSY BUILDING SWEDISH EMBASSY BUILDING CARS DRIVING PAST / BUS STOP WITH POSTERS ON OTHER SIDE OF ROAD NEAR SWEDISH EMBASSY BUILDING VARIOUS OF TWO WOMEN STANDING AT THE BUS STOP IN FRONT OF POSTERS
- Embargoed: 19th May 2022 16:30
- Keywords: Nazism Russia Sweden bus city posters
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA005600405052022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Posters accusing famous Swedes of supporting Nazism have appeared on Moscow's streets as a sign of worsening relations between Russia and Sweden as the Nordic country contemplates joining NATO.
Outside the Swedish embassy, two posters affixed to a bus stop feature photographs of Swedish King Gustaf V, writer Astrid Lindgren, film director Ingmar Bergman and IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad, and the message: "We are against Nazism, they are not."
Reuters saw a third poster of the same kind on a major thoroughfare in central Moscow featuring the deceased Swedish figures.
The Russian and Swedish foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Three Moscow commuters at the bus stop in front of the embassy told Reuters they were in favour of the anti-Swedish posters.
"I think the posters are timely in light of recent events," said 47-year-old Alexandra. "If Europeans consider themselves democratic countries, then I think it's entirely democratic to express an alternative point of view and show people a different opinion."
Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its recent actions in Ukraine have led Sweden and its neighbour Finland to rethink their security policies, with NATO membership looking increasingly likely.
Sweden's defence minister said last month that a NATO application could trigger a number of responses from Russia, including cyberattacks and hybrid measures such as propaganda campaigns.
Moscow says its military campaign in Ukraine is designed to demilitarize and "denazify" the country, something Kyiv and the West have dismissed as a pretext to invade. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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