Authorities have arrested hundreds of people as protests against Russia’s new “partial mobilisation” grows across the country, said an independent rights group.
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| An activist participates in an unsanctioned protest on Arbat Street, Moscow. The sign, which plays on the word mobilisation, reads: ‘No burialisation’. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images via TheGuardian |
Since President Vladimir Putin announced plans to draft 300,000 men to fight in Ukraine, there has been a break out of extensive demonstrations.
724 people were detained across 32 different cities on Saturday, said OVD-info.
Under Russian law, unsanctioned rallies are banned. However, President Putin’s decision to draft civilians into the military has brought about vast protests in urban areas with more than a thousand people being detained earlier this week at demonstrations.
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| According to witnesses, police surrounded and detained a small group of protesters and loaded them on to a bus as they chanted: ‘No mobilisation!’. Photo: Olga Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images via TheGuardian |
AFP reported, in Moscow, witnessing one demonstrator shouting “we are not cannon fodder” as officers arrested her.
Russia’s second city, St. Petersburg, one man told reporters, “I don’t want to go to war for Putin.”
Some of those arrested on Saturday reported being handed draft papers and ordered to report to recruiting centers while being held by security officials.
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| A standoff between police officers and demonstrators in St Petersburg. Photo: Olga Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images via TheGuardian |
“it isn’t against the law”, the Kremlin defender the practice earlier this week.
