Some Russians detained while protesting against President Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilisation have been handed draft papers while in custody, the OVD-Info rights group said on Thursday.
Video has emerged on social media showing Russian men called up by the government for war in Ukraine, including footage of one man saying an emotional goodbye to his family.
Under Russian law, police have the power to stop people who are thought to be evading mobilisation. The law provides for lengthy, years-long prison terms and hefty fines for those dodging the draft without legal grounds for exemption.“Information was received from 15 police departments that the detained men were handed a summons to the military registration and enlistment office,” OVD-Info said in a statement.
Putin on Wednesday announced Russia’s first public mobilisation since World War II. His defence minister said it aimed to recruit 300,000 experienced specialists for Russia’s campaign in Ukraine, where it has recently suffered severe setbacks. He also effectively warned Russia against taking the territories saying, “any annexation of a state’s territory by another state resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the UN Charter and of international law”.
In the Russian-held southern city of Melitopol, also in the Zaporizhzhia region, a blast hit a crowded market. The city’s exiled mayor said it had killed three soldiers and was staged by occupying forces to accuse Ukraine of terrorism. A member of the Russian-installed local administration accused Ukrainian special services of trying to cause chaos on the eve of voting.
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