Ukrainian residents stage protest in Limassol

A group of Ukrainian permanent residents in Cyprus on Sunday staged a protest in Limassol against any Russian military intervention in their country.

Holding banners and shouting slogans, the participants said they were anxious about tensions in the region. One of the banners read ‘Putin hands off Ukraine.

Russia has demanded Nato pull back troops and weapons from eastern Europe and bar its neighbour Ukraine, a former Soviet state, from ever joining. Washington and its Nato allies reject that position but say they are ready to discuss other topics such as arms control and confidence-building measures.