Global Outcry to 'Stop Putin' over Russian Invasion

From Beirut to Berlin to New York City, Tokyo to New York, protesters came out in droves to express condemnation of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine - the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, reports Reuters.

The earliest known protest occurred outside Russia's embassy in Washington around 1:00am EST (0600 GMT) on Thursday; only three hours after President Vladimir Putin said he had launched his military operation.

One Lebanese-Ukrainian said he came out in solidarity with, what he called, his ‘brothers and sisters in Ukraine:

"Today, we are next to the Russian embassy. I don't know if we can still call it Russia because it is a dictatorship country. It is the renewal of Nazism in Europe….”

In Madrid, a protester outside the Russian embassy held a sign showing Putin with a bloody handprint on his face.

Spanish Actor Javier Bardem joined the demonstrators:

"I am here to demonstrate my condemnation of the Russian Federation's warlike actions against Ukraine (flash) But above all, due to the concern over the wave of refugees this could generate as a consequence of this invasion."

After Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared war in a televised address, explosions and gunfire were heard in Kyiv.

Missiles rained down on Ukrainian targets and authorities reported columns of troops pouring across Ukraine's borders.

Several hundred pro-Ukrainian protesters also gathered near Downing Street in London, calling on their government to impose more sanctions on Russia.

A Ukrainian protester named Maria pleaded with Russian citizens to take a stand against Putin.

"Please Russians go outside. Declare that you're against this war. What you're telling us in private messages is not enough. Go outside. Stop being afraid. Speak loud."

Many Russians did just that.

According to a protest-monitoring group in Russia, police detained more than 1600 people at anti-war rallies in 53 Russian cities.