Forced Mobilization in Russia: Men Are Being Taken from the Streets, Workplaces, and Police Stations
New cases of forced mobilization of Russians to fight in the war against Ukraine have been reported in Udmurtia, the Krasnodar Krai, the Arkhangelsk Oblast, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, and Buryatia.
In total, between August 10 and 18, human rights activists received 14 reports from relatives of those detained.
According to their reports, the men were taken from the street, from work, or after being detained by the police.
One man was detained as he was leaving a store; another was detained while returning from an alumni reunion. Yet another was taken to a police station, allegedly to have his documents checked.
In Izhevsk on August 10, a man was detained on the street and taken to the military registration and enlistment office. Just three days later, he was transported to a military unit in the Rostov region.
In another case in Udmurtia, relatives were unable to prevent a man from being sent to the Donetsk region. According to human rights activists, he was registered with a psychiatrist, but the relevant page had been removed from his military ID. After that, the man was removed from the registry and forced to sign a contract.
In Novorossiysk, according to his sister, a detainee was beaten at the police station and had drugs planted on him. Afterward, he was allegedly given a choice between a criminal case carrying a sentence of up to 20 years and being sent to war. The man signed the contract, after which he was taken to a military unit.
In the Arkhangelsk region, a man was initially detained for drinking alcohol in a public place. The next day, his relatives learned that he had signed a contract and was being prepared for deployment to the war.
A similar incident occurred with a 62-year-old man who had a medical condition and was exempt from mobilization due to his employment.
According to his relatives, within a few hours of his detention, his passport and military ID were issued so that he could not return home to retrieve his documents. After that, the man was taken to Crimea.
According to “Idit Lesom,” forced mobilization is also continuing in Omsk. Human rights activists have reported at least two new cases.
One man was taken directly from work and held at a police station. According to his relatives, the police eventually signed the contract on his behalf.
Another man was stopped near a store by people in plain clothes under the pretext of a drug test. He was then sent for a medical examination.
The man claimed he did not sign the contract, but he was taken out of the region anyway.
Previously, human rights activists reported cases of forced mobilization in Penza and Ulyanovsk.
The “Go Through the Woods” project recommends that relatives of those detained determine their whereabouts as soon as possible and review any documents they may have signed.
Human rights activists also advise documenting the circumstances of the detention, the names of the officers involved, phone calls, and correspondence, and seeking help before the person is sent to another region or to a military unit.
This was reported by the human rights project “Go Through the Forest.”
Tens of thousands of Russian citizens have begun traveling to Georgia amid rumors of a possible new wave of mobilization this fall. The Russian Federal Customs Service reported a record number of passengers crossing the “Verkhniy Lars” checkpoint.
A new mobilization in Russia could result in heavy losses and desertions—FT.
As a reminder, Putin called for increased support for the war among Russians.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin instructed the command of the Russian Navy to respond “decisively” to attempts by Western countries to detain Russian tankers. He made this statement during a meeting with Russian fleet commanders.
