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Putin’s Call for Reservists Sparks Massive Protests in Russia

Protests erupted in various Russian cities after President Vladimir Putin’s decision to call up 300,000 troops to fight in Ukraine. Russian police have detained hundreds of people who demonstrated against Putin’s call for the mobilization of 300,000 military reservists to support Russia’s forces.

The move came after occupied areas of Ukraine announced snap referendums on joining Russia.

On Wednesday, September 21, more than 1,000 people gathered to protest in several cities, including St Petersburg, Moscow, Irkutsk, Kaliningrad, and Yekaterinburg, according to Russian human rights group OVD-Info.

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Additionally, flights out of Russia were quickly booked after Putin’s announcement. Flights to popular destinations such as Istanbul in Turkey and Yerevan in Armenia were sold out, with prices for remaining seats surging.

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Reports by the Associated Press indicated that prices for flights from Moscow to Istanbul or Dubai reached as high as 9,200 euros ($9,119) for a one-way economy class fare following Putin’s announcement.

The Moscow prosecutor’s office warned that calls on the internet to join unauthorised street protests, or participation in them, could lead to a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

Individuals could face prosecution under laws against discrediting the armed forces, spreading “fake news” about Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, or encouraging minors to protest.

Despite the warning, the anti-war opposition group Vesna called for widespread protests, resulting in many arrests across Russia. Several video clips show police disrupting protests and arresting protesters.

Vesna referred to its action as “no to mogilisation,” a play on words as “mogila” in Russian means grave.

The Kremlin’s move to mobilize follows significant losses in Ukraine where Kyiv’s forces have recaptured a vast area east of Kharkiv.

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