In Cheboksary, Russian occupiers held a protest demanding that people not insult them
On May 9, Dmitry Bodagin, a resident of Cheboksary, Russia, took part in a protest at the local Victory Park. The 52-year-old man stood near the memorial holding a sign that listed demands regarding the treatment of those who fought in the war against Ukraine.
This is reported by Russian media.
The sign read: “VETERANS OF THE ‘SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION’ DEMAND: An end to discrimination against veterans of the ‘Special Military Operation’ in employment. Hold accountable those who insult the defenders of the Fatherland. A response from the Chuvash authorities—publicly and immediately. Do not treat us as expendable material, as cannon fodder!”
According to ASTRA, the man had previously tried to draw attention to the problems faced by former servicemen. He said that after returning from the front, he was repeatedly denied employment as soon as employers learned of his participation in the war. He now works in his field but continues to speak out publicly about the plight of so-called “SVO” veterans.
In an interview with the publication, Bodagin stated: “Putin claimed that the so-called elite, the veterans, should come to power, take leadership positions, or other, more qualified jobs. But I was only able to get a job in my field after I hid the fact that I’m a veteran. Nikolayev (the head of Chuvashia) doesn’t want to meet with us. He meets with those veterans who are loyal.”
According to Bodagin, in 2023 he served voluntarily in the occupation forces in the Luhansk region, and in 2024 he left the army for medical reasons. He also spoke about his health issues and stated that he continues to seek attention for the problems faced by former combatants.
Commenting on the situation, the man said: “For now, we’re fighting on our own, and we’ll see what happens.”
Bodagin also spoke about his appeal to Russian security forces: “I wrote to the director of the FSB last winter, stating that I would seek political asylum in the West, as I believe I am being persecuted in the Chuvash Republic for being a veteran. I received no response.”
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