Russians took to the streets of Moscow in their thousands yesterday to demonstrate for and against President Vladimir Putin’s policies in Ukraine.

Crimeans vote tomorrow on whether to reunite with Russia after pro-Russian forces took control of the peninsula, triggering the worst East-West confrontation since the Cold War.

Most Russians strongly back Putin’s actions and see Crimea as rightfully part of Russia. But a minority are horrified, fearing that Putin is risking war with another Slavic country formerly seen as a brother nation.

We are behaving towards Ukraine like swine. We will soon be on the level of North Korea

In a rally organised by a Russian Orthodox movement “in support of Crimea and against fascism”, some 15,000 gathered on Revolution Square near the Kremlin, according to police.

Accompanied by a brass band playing patriotic marches, the well organised demonstrators, some waving Soviet hammers and sickles, chanted “Crimea is Russia”, “We defend our own!” and “No to fascism!”

People take part in an anti-war procession and a rally in Moscow yesterday.

“We want to say a firm ‘no’ to the fascist junta that came to power in Kiev and therefore we naturally want to support our comrades in Ukraine,” said Pyotr, one of the protesters.

But yesterday also saw the first big protest against Putin’s policy, on Sakharov Avenue, site of the first large anti-Putin demonstration in December 2011, when tens of thousands took to the streets to protest against electoral fraud.

“I am ashamed for Russia and our people,” said publishing company employee Valentina Legonkova, 69, who was carrying a Ukrainian flag although she is Russian.

“We are behaving towards Ukraine like swine,” she said. “We will soon be on the level of North Korea.”

Police said that around 3,000 people attended, but witnesses put the number at around 30,000, making it the largest protest for two years.

In the two weeks since Putin received parliamentary backing to deploy troops in Ukraine, Russia has seen dozens of government-backed rallies supporting the ‘defence’ of Crimea. Smaller unsanctioned anti-war demos have led to scuffles with police and dozens of arrests.