Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin has expressed support for Russians and Belarusians who are protesting President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
What Happened: Buterin, who was born in Russia, tweeted on Wednesday that support for Ukrainians was a priority, but added that it was also important to back Russians and Belarusians who are not letting Putin’s “Z-ombie regime” represent them.
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He was responding to Anton Barbashin, the editorial director of Riddle, an online journal of Russian affairs, who said a European University should “openly welcome” Russian students kicked out from their institute for opposing the ongoing war.
First priority is supporting Ukrainians. Second, and also really important, priority is supporting those Russians and Belarusians who refuse to let Putin's Z-ombie regime represent them and take action to oppose it. https://t.co/cxpf5oZUiw
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) March 9, 2022
Buterin also urged people to “extend their compassion to" those suffering from wars in other parts of the world.
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Ukrainians are far from the only ones suffering from war. Also people in Yemen, Ethiopia... just as human as Ukrainians and you are.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) March 9, 2022
This is NOT a valid excuse to not care about Ukrainians today. But it does mean we should self-reflect and extend our compassion to others too.
See Also: How To Buy Ethereum (ETH)
Why It Matters: Buterin's "Z-ombie" tweet seemingly pointed to the fact that the letter "Z" appears on the sides of Russian tanks invading Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry said the letter is based on the preposition "Za," the first word in “Za pobedu,” which means “For victory."
Last month, Buterin had criticized Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine calling it a “crime against the Ukrainian and Russian people.”
He has also lashed out at pro-invasion Russian journalists, asking the editor-in-chief of Russia Today to “go f*** yourself.”
Until last week, more than $52 million had been donated in Ethereum, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) to Ukraine and non-governmental organizations.