Forced mobilization for the war has begun in the Penza Region of the Russian Federation
In the village of Bashmakovo in Russia’s Penza Region, local residents have formed a vigilante group to, as they say, protect men from being forcibly sent to fight in the war against Ukraine. This has been reported by independent Russian media outlets.
According to the publication, residents claim that recruiters are detaining men on the streets and forcing them to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. Several eyewitnesses stated that this practice has been going on since at least the spring of 2026.
The journalists’ sources also described instances in which men were allegedly taken to military registration offices, subjected to physical violence, and forced to sign contracts. Separately, there are reports of the death of one of the conscripts who, according to his relatives, was sent to war despite health problems.
According to local residents, about 250 people have joined the volunteer militia. At the same time, the district administration stated that it has no information about the existence of such an initiative and described the situation in the district as calm.
It is currently impossible to independently verify these accounts.
Source: The Moscow Times.
As a reminder, Putin has called for increased support for the war among Russians.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin instructed the command of the Russian Navy to respond “resolutely” to attempts by Western countries to detain Russian tankers. He made this statement during a meeting with the commanders of the Russian Navy.
