Meet the 76-year-old Russian anti-war protester who’s not backing down
Be it frequent detentions or fines, there’s no stopping Yelena Osipova, the Russian septuagenarian, raising her voice against Vladimir Putin

Just days after Russia invaded Ukraine, a video of an elderly activist being rounded up by policemen in riot gear went viral. A month on, Yelena Osipova continues to be unfazed. The 76-year-old has become the face of anti-war protests in Russia, where punishment for dissent can earn penalties up to 15 years in prison.

In a country, where a majority of the older population are backers of the Kremlin, Osipova remains an exception. She’s a regular at protests against the invasion of Ukraine; videos of her frequent detentions continue to circulate on social media.
Who is Yelena Osipova and how is she such a rebel?
Osipova was born toward the end of World War II in Leningrad (present-day St Petersburg), the city reduced to rubble by a barbaric 900-day Nazi blockage. In her growing up days, she saw the heartbreaking fallout of war. She knows it only brings death and devastation and hence chooses not be a bystander.
Protesting since 2002
In St Petersburg, Gostiny Dvor, a popular shopping centre, has become the go-to protest site. It been heavily guarded by police since the protests erupted last month.
But Osipova likes to do things her own way. At the Chernyshevskaya metro station, she stands alone on a Sunday, dressed in a bulky winter coat, two protest signs in hand, reports The Moscow Times. She doesn’t need company; the septuagenarian is a veteran protester, if we may call her so.