© Ben Gray/AP Nazar Bilukha, who was born in Ukraine, attends in a rally in Atlanta on Saturday. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)Seas, borders, languages and cultural differences separated the protesters, but the imagery of their pleas was similar: sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower; Ukraine’s blue-and-yellow flag; the phrase “no war” translated into a slew of languages; banners with Putin’s face vandalized.The similarities underscore how the invasion, which began late last month, has quickly turned public opinion against Putin and Russia in a war much of the world has followed online. Across social media, videos of Ukraine’s defiance and of Russia’s assault have rallied support for Ukraine.
In Tokyo — where hundreds of people marched down the streets shouting “Stop war. Protect lives,” the Associated Press reported — a woman called for a no-fly zone in Ukraine, holding a sign made out of cardboard and with blue and yellow letters, photos show.
In Lithuania, a fleet of hot air balloons displayed Ukrainian flags as protesters assembled below. In Switzerland, traditionally a staunchly neutral country, about 40,000 people were sandwiched in Zurich streets, a local outlet reported.
Whether in winter gear or summer clothes, in broad daylight or by nightfall, the thousands of people across the world shared one message: “We stand with Ukraine.”
France
© Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Thousands of people march Saturday in Paris’s Bastille Square to protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)© Johanna Geron/Reuters A person wears the Ukrainian flag colors on her eyelids at the Place de la Republique in Paris. (Johanna Geron/Reuters)
Austria
© Alex Halada/AFP/Getty Images People protest in Vienna. (Alex Halada/AFP via Getty Images)
Cyprus
© Petros Karadjias/AP A protester holds up placards in Nicosia. (Petros Karadjias/Associated Press)
Italy
© Remo Casilli/Reuters People stand under a huge rainbow banner during a protest on March 5 at San Giovanni Square in Rome.
Malaysia
© Fazry Ismail/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock A protester holds flowers near Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur. (Fazry Ismail/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
Malta
© Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters A child attends a demonstration in Valletta. (Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)
Netherlands
© Sem Van Der Wal/AFP/Getty Images People form a peace symbol at the Koekamp in The Hague. (Sem van der Wal/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
South Africa
© Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images Protesters sing songs outside the South African Parliament in Cape Town. (Rodger Bosch/AFP via Getty Images)
Switzerland
© Michael Buholzer/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock A woman demonstrates in Zurich. (Michael Buholzer/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)© Michael Buholzer/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock A mass protest in Zurich (Michael Buholzer/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
Turkey
© Cagla Gurdogan/Reuters A woman is draped with a Ukrainian flag at a protest in Ankara. (Cagla Gurdogan/Reuters)
Britain
© Mark Thomas/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Demonstrators gather at Trafalgar Square in London. (Mark Thomas/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)© Dylan Martinez/Reuters A sign at a protest in London (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)
Japan
© Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images Protesters march through the Shibuya area of Tokyo. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)
Lithuania
© Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Hot-air balloons float over Vilnius in support of Ukraine. (Mindaugas Kulbis/Associated Press)
United States
© Jose Luis Magana/AP Protesters gather outside the White House. (Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press)© Ben Gray/AP Svetlana Lechtchenko hands out sunflowers, the Ukrainian national flower, in downtown Atlanta. (Ben Gray/Associated Press)
Finland
© Lehtikuva/Via Reuters People march in downtown Helsinki. (Mikko Stig/Lehtikuva/via Reuters)
Israel
© Ammar Awad/Reuters People demonstrate outside the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)© Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images A woman holds an Israeli flag next to the colors of the Ukrainian flag outside the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv. (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)