Moscow, Sep 22 (EFE).- At least 1,386 people were arrested across Russia during protests against the partial mobilization announced by President Vladimir Putin to reinforce Moscow’s “special military operation” in neighboring Ukraine, human rights organization OVD-Info said Thursday.
“At least 1,386 people were detained in 38 cities” on Wednesday, said the group, which has been declared a “foreign agent” by the Russian authorities.
OVD-Info said that the arrests were made in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Permian, Ufa, Krasnoyarsk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, Yakutsk, Ulan-Ude, Arkhangelsk and Korolev, among others.
A total of 509 people were arrested in Moscow and at least 541 in St. Petersburg, the country’s second largest city, according to the organization.
“Violence was used against peaceful protesters,” OVD-Info said, adding that journalists were detained in several cities.
In #Moscow, #Russia, there is a #protest rally taking place tonight against the mobilisation, announced by Putin earlier today. Protesters chant “No to War!”.
— Alex Kokcharov (@AlexKokcharov) September 21, 2022
The human rights organization said that in some cases in Moscow, the police tried to force detainees to receive a summons to the military registration and enlistment office.
The public prosecutor’s office in the capital has warned that individuals convicted of organizing or participating in illegal actions will face up to 15 years in prison.
Calls on the internet to participate in public actions or to carry out other illegal acts will also be punishable.
In a televised speech early Wednesday, Putin announced that he had signed a decree on the partial mobilization of the military “to protect our motherland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
He said the measure, which entered into effect on Wednesday, was needed “to ensure the security of our people and people of the liberated territories.”
Only reservists would be subject to conscription, he added.
The Russian president insisted that the decision to launch a “preventive military operation (in Ukraine) was absolutely necessary,” since the Ukrainian attack on Donbas was inevitable.
He also accused the West of using Ukraine as an instrument to attack Russia.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a subsequent address that 300,000 reservists will be mobilized in support of the Special Military Operation, which began Feb. 24. EFE
© 2022 EFE News Services (U.S.) Inc.
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Sooner or later the Russian people will come to the realization that eliminating ONE MAN, by whatever means necessary will save tens of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives, and perhaps prevent a nuclear war. This one is a no brainer , and an historical precedence set for the Russians, who took out the Czar when the war began to be lost on the front in WWI. Betting an entire country about the size of 25% of earth’s land capacity on a roll of the dice to win a few Ukrainian border cities that even when occupied will cause your people to be shot at is a poor investment by the Russian people who have so much to lose, and so little to gain, just for the purpose of elevating ONE MAN in the history books along side other war criminals like Stalin and Hitler whose crimes against humanity cannot and WILL NOT be tolerated by peaceful sane nations of the world. When in doubt, tjust hrow Putin OUT.
TO ME, the fact the security forces, STILL PROTECT putin, as well as they do, is outrageous.
Just like all despots in history, Putin is willing to take his whole nation down with him.
Quick, insurrection! President Putin, you should check to see if the Republicans are involved.
When will he start his own Jan 6th commission..
wow looks like the anti war hippies from the sixties btw they run the country now.