Students at the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences of St Petersburg State University in Russia say goodbye to Philosophy Professor Denis Skopin, fired for opposing Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine and partial mobilitasion orders.

The heartwarming footage, filmed on October 25, shows the students applauding and hugging him on his last day.

Skopin was arrested at an anti-war protest that erupted in St Petersburg on September 21. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

The university later sacked the professor claiming that "the act committed by the employee is immoral and incompatible with the implementation of educational functions and the continuation of this work."

In an interview with RFE/RL, Skopin said:

“A university is a place where people should think, where qualities such as critical thinking and independent thought should be encouraged. Unfortunately, this is no longer possible in today's Russia".

25 October 2022, Saint Petersburg, Russia

St Petersburg University fired Associate Professor Denis Skopin due to participation in an anti-mobilization rally on September 21. Students of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where Skopin taught, gathered to say goodbye to him on his last day at the university.

Denis Skopin was detained at a protest action that took place in St. Petersburg after the announcement of mobilization on September 21, and was arrested for 10 days. Skopin, as well as other protesters who were serving their arrest in the detention center on Zakharyevskaya Street, were pressured to submit a summons to the military registration and enlistment office.

The order of St Petersburg University on the dismissal of Skopin states that "the act committed by the employee is immoral and incompatible with the implementation of educational functions and the continuation of this work."

Credit to: Polina Ulanovskaya/DOXA