Senior Russian officials are expressing their concerns over Vladimir Putin’s draft of youngsters who are being called to fight in the killing fields of Ukraine who are actually ineligible for being called up.
The Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a statement last week that youngsters will not be drafted into the army, however a close ally of Putin, Valentina Matviyenko, the chairwoman of Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council said she’s aware there are men being called up when they shouldn’t be.
Matviyenko said, “Such excesses are absolutely unacceptable. And, I consider it absolutely right that they are triggering a sharp reaction in society.”
Tens of thousands of Russian citizens are demonstrating across Russia over the so called “partial mobilisation of 300,000 reservists” for the war in Ukraine.
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Russian authorities had arrested and detained hundreds pf people including young children on Saturday in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
On Wednesday the demonstrations started once the mobilisation order was given which has seen teenagers to those aged 65-years being dragged of the streets, arrested and are being sent to training camps.
In a direct message to Russia’s regional governors, the chairwoman of Russia’s upper house claimed they have “full responsibility” for implementing the call-up.
She wrote, “Ensure the implementation of partial mobilisation is carried out in full and absolute compliance with the outlined criteria.
“Without a single mistake.”
A large column of protestors in Omsk now, where it’s currently -30 degrees#Navalny #митинг23января pic.twitter.com/DqUm5xld4S
— Janek Lasocki (@JanekLasocki) January 23, 2021
On Saturday “stun guns” and “batons” were being used in St. Petersburg and a “bus full” of people were seen arrested demonstration against Putin and the war, including young teenagers.
Vyacheslav Volodin, who is the speaker of Russia’s lower chamber, the State Duma [Parliament], said he has received “complaints [which] are being received.
“If a mistake is made, it is necessary to correct it… Authorities at every level should understand their responsibilities.”
The protestors today in Omsk, Western Siberia
“Resign Putin, resign!”#RussiaProtests #Russia pic.twitter.com/m588x1q9GB— Janek Lasocki (@JanekLasocki) April 21, 2021
The strongly pro-Kremlin editor of Russia’s state-run RT news channel slammed the Russian authorities and claimed that call-up papers were being sent to the wrong men.
The RT editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan, said, “It has been announced that privates can be recruited up to the age of 35. Summonses are going to 40-year-olds.
Protestors fighting police enforcing Putin’s mobilization in the village of Endirey, Dagestan
Shots fired.#Ukraine #RussianArmy pic.twitter.com/tPk6BZ2pok
— KT “Special NATO Intelligence Operation” (@KremlinTrolls) September 25, 2022
“They’re infuriating people, as if on purpose, as if out of spite. As if they’d been sent by Kyiv.”
Elsewhere in Russia “fights” are breaking out between conscripts and the police for being drafted into fight Putin’s war.
Police in Omsk, Siberia are seeing huge amounts of opposition and they have been challenged by the conscripts to “come and die with them in the trenches.”
