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© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Putin's call-up fuels Russians' anger, protests and violence
By DASHA LITVINOVA TALLINN, Estonia©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
66 Comments
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plasticmonkey
Unmotivated and undertrained soldiers fighting an unjustified, unnecessary war in a foreign country. Sounds like a winning strategy for Mini Me.
Give up, Russia, for everyone’s sake.
Cards fan
Uhh, you left out the last paragraph.
People support the war now, but think about how that sentiment will change as men, husbands, sons, and fathers, come home in body bags. And for what? a kleptocrat who never served a day in his life?
wallace
Putin calling up the old and disabled.
Russia has admitted it made mistakes in its drive to call up hundreds of thousands of military reservists.
Many are not reservists without any military training.
The people are being removed from their jobs that others will have to cover.
So far, more than 2,000 people have been arrested at mass protests in Russia.
rainyday
Doing the math that would suggest there are several times more volunteers than the entire population of the Russian Federation.
Sounds like something the Putin fanboys would believe.
The Avenger
The only condition should be the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and puppets from all of the Ukraine including Crimea, Kherson, Donbas and Luhansk.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/russia-enlistment-troops-resistance-ukraine-1.6596621
2020hindsights
The forces generated by this "partial mobilization" are unlikely to add much to Russia's combat power anytime this year.
Putin's actions so far show that he is far more concerned with rushing bodies to the battlefield than worrying about what equipment they will use, or infact, providing them with training.
These poor people are being sent out to die.
Cards fan
Nope. All of this could have been avoided if Russia didn't launch an imperialist invasion of Ukraine.
The world shouldn't have to hold it's nose and pretend an authoritarian country like Russia is it's equal, just so Russian leaders don't get their feelings hurt.
wallace
Putin has lied to his people saying Ukraine and the west are attacking them and Russia needs to defend itself. His foreign minister Lavrov, in the UN spewing all kinds of conspiracies.
ClippetyClop
Not happy with murdering his neighbours, Putin is turning his attention to ripping apart families from Russia now.
What an absolute calamity that man is.
2020hindsights
Bronco
No. They support the "special military operation" based on how the war is presented to them by the media propaganda. For example, they think that less than 10,000 soldiers have lost their lives.
Expect this support to fade away when their sons, brothers and friends come back in body bags or injured.
plasticmonkey
And you of course will be volunteering for the front line.
Nemo
There are plenty of rusty Kalashnikov rifles available for Alex and Bronco. Never been fired and only been dropped once!
Sorry, no air cover or artillery support is available, but being the brave Patriots you are, that won't be a problem, will it?
Nemo
When a state is restricting freedom of expression and congregation, its showing how weak and scared it is.
2020hindsights
Eastman
The same appeasement rhetoric was used when Germany annexed Czechoslovakia in 1938. Czechoslovakia, Hitler claimed, was slaughtering the Sudeten Germans. Chamberlain referred the demand to the British and French governments, both of which accepted.
And we know how well that worked out.
UChosePoorly
Eastman - We will start treating Russia as an equal when they start treating Ukraine as an equal.
rainyday
Unfortunately for Putin the country in question isn’t Russia. Looks like the military age Russian population is very keen on helping out with the defense of Georgia, Mongolia and several of the Stans.
Mark
Putin is turning to the head of the Russian church a good old friend and a former KGB agent too to convince young Russian men to stay and fight saying "" If a person dies while fighting, this sacrifice will cleanse them from all the the sins they have committed""
Michael Machida
Right. And Putin said if you fight for Russia, you will go to heaven. Crazy SH'T!
Ah_so
Sure. But how many are supporting the active invasion of another country?
Kobe White Bar Owner
@plasticmonkeyToday 07:11 am JST
Unmotivated and undertrained soldiers fighting an unjustified, unnecessary war in a foreign country. Sounds like a winning strategy for Mini Me.
Give up, Russia, for everyone’s sake.
Totally agree but it's give up Putin AKA (Vlad the Invader)
rainyday
So if only they had appeased Putin he wouldn’t have shot himself in the foot by invading Ukraine? I don’t think NATO has an obligation to protect Russia from acts of self harm.
Numan
@Yrral
Arctic Alaska or Far North Alaska is a region of the U.S. state of Alaska generally referring to the northern areas on or close to the Arctic Ocean.
It commonly includes North Slope Borough, Northwest Arctic Borough, Nome Census Area, and is sometimes taken to include parts of the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area. Some notable towns there include Prudhoe Bay, Utqiaġvik, Kotzebue, Nome and Galena.
An actual American citizen not a pretend one might know this fact!
thelonius
Russians.
They were fine with what their country was doing in Ukraine until it started to affect them personally.
ClippetyClop
There's probably a point behind your post, but you didn't seem to want to make it.
Michael Machida
Putin thinks he is winning. Heh, heh...
stormcrow
Nobody wants to jump into Putin's meat grinder. It's time for a the Russian generals to stage a coup.
ok1517
@Bronco,
"......about half the Russian people unconditionally support the war....."
Another oh so great survey! How many people were actually asked?
I assume not all Russians are included in this so-called survey!
How many answered without being threatened?
You know, like you will get 10 to 15 years in jail if you answer doesn't reflect the dictator's desire!
And to make it clear again: Putin is the one who started all this, Putin and his associates (quite some of them have vanished already, by the way!).
Russia i.e. Putin won't win this aggression.
Numan
Also, @Yrral
You are welcome!
Seapig
For the geographic challenged: this is incorrect. There are actually eight countries, including the US, with territory in the arctic…
Peter14
The situation in Russia will only get worse the longer this war drags on. It will not improve.
The people are increasingly speaking and acting out against this conflict in Russia. Once people realise they have lost loved ones they will resent Putin more and more until it comes to a head.
Numan
Sending all these ill-equipped and poorly trained Russian men to the frontline will mean more casualties, defeats, and surrenders
Putin needs this war to end in his favor to save Russia's military reputation but more importantly his ego. His ego may be the demise of his own regime. There are wolves in the West!
However, there are also hyenas and other scavengers in the East.
Remember, if Putin loses not only will he lose to the West, but also to China which will be waiting to steal all the northern territories like Siberia.
China wants the natural resources in the Arctic like Russia, Canada, and the US. These countries have legitimate stakes in the Arctic. China can only have any real claim if they steal land from Russia.
wtfjapan
So 80% of Russians still support the defense of the country.
yep until their sons brothers fathers are called up, if they protest theyre automatically drafted
tooheysnew
there's already been a shooting & a firebombing at a couple of these recruitment centres - more to come I’m sure
rainyday
....he just chooses not to.
JTC
Putin's only way out, is for these "so called" referendums so show that those Polled, do not want to be part of Russia....
2020hindsights
ISW:
Unlike Russian failures in Ukraine, which the Kremlin has been able to minimize or deflect because its citizens cannot see them directly, violations of the mobilization decree are evident to many Russians.
Word of these violations does not even require access to media or social media, because they are occurring in so many locations and victims’ families can spread their anguish by word of mouth.
tooheysnew
@yrrl
eastman at least has an valid reason to hate nato & the west,
what’s yours ?
Haaa Nemui
I didn’t think it was gonna start happening so quickly. Yep, there will be more.
ClippetyClop
Just imagine that Japan invades Korea because there are too many Korean nationalists there, then says that it was sure that Korea was about to invade Japan, then says it was that Korea was trying too hard to defend itself from an invasion that Japan promised it wouldn't do in the first place.
And then Japan calls up a million men to 'defend' its own invasion of Korea, and a massive number of those people realize that they aren't defending anything, they are attacking, and don't want to give their lives to a guy who has amassed a hundred billion dollars from their country and can't even provide them with proper commanders, weapons or food so they'd rather be in Armenia thank you very much
Numan
Yeah, young Russians with something to lose do not want to die in war they do not live in.
Mobilised Russians call hotline to ask how to surrender
https://www.yahoo.com/news/mobilised-russians-call-hotline-ask-185500131.html
gcbel
So, it begins. Moscow, yet again putting the burden on the ethnic minorities and outer regions. It didn’t work so well for them in the past. Let’s see how well that works for them now
Fighto!
Whoever owns shares in the companies in fascist Russia that make body bags are rubbing their hands together right now.
Just like Afghanistan, this is a war fascist Russia can never win.
Strangerland
Just speakin the truth. Putin's losing, because Putin is a loser. He's sending the children of Russia to die at the hands of the children of Ukraine, because he wants to look powerful after he's dead.
Russia never learns. I'm guessing they probably aren't allowed to learn about Stalin, because the comparisons would be too close to Putin for his comfort.
fallaffel
It's not so funny for the people who need to leave their homes and families, I guess. Of course, Americans would also flee to avoid going to fight for a cause they don't believe in. It's the logical decision... I don't get what point you're trying to make.
Haaa Nemui
There is a difference though. Afghanistan was basically a foreign war that they could just up and leave. This war Putin has brought home, and it’ll be the annoying guest they’ll never get rid of.
Stephen Chin
The end of Vladymir Putin's life = Hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men, women, children and, hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of the lives of hundreds of thousands upon thousands of Russian young men hev sends to kill hundreds of thousnads upon hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men, women and children, would be saved. To enjoy this beautiful world. Made ugly by Vladymir Putin. Who is Adolf Hitler, reborn in St Petersburg. And today living in Moscow. Planning the killing of hundreds and hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians.
Vicky
Maybe Pu cannot put his fist down because it's too embarrassing to admit that his hypothetical enemy poetry didn't work.
What a surprise for Snowden to be finally granted Russian citizenship - it's so obvious... he should've read Animal Farm.
Haaa Nemui
and replaced it with their own. How nice of them.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/300699056/why-the-capture-of-a-russian-t90m-tank-matters
2020hindsights
Seth M
There is a big difference. US reservists trained voluntarily. It was their choice to join the army. In Russia, there is a mandatory 1-year draft for all male citizens between 18 and 27. So these reservists aren't there because they chose to be.
True. And if you were in the US during the Vietnam war, you would see many protests, people burning their drafts and fleeing to Canada. And because it was so unpopular that the US got rid of conscription in 1973. You would think that Putin would learn from history.
jeancolmar
This is like Vietnam on steroids. The protests against the American war on Vietnam began slowly but by the late 60s it was open popular rebellion against the draft and the war.
What I am seeing is something similar to Vietnam in fast forward. It is not going way, Vlad.
kaimycahl
Putin is desperate, he is a pit bull with a large bark no teeth in hiding. If a guy with a gun could walk into a recruitment center and kill the guy in charge there I am sure there are plenty more people like him that will do Putin in if they get him in gun sight. Those who are going off to war if they are lucky to come back will only suffer even more because they supported a war that those who opposed it and should Putin last he will go back to old Soviet KGB tactics where everyone would be put under watch.
John-San
Scott Ritter call out the WMD in Iraqi as bull and he was loud and clear to all, but just ignored. But not by the FBI, a year latter he was sent to Gaol on trumped up child porn charges. So any truth to this war Scott Ritter would know.
vic.M
This war is a war is being waged ,against NATO and the west. using Ukraine as canon fodder. NATO had already been training Ukraine soldiers and supplying weapons long before Russia went in to protect the Russian spealing areas in the Donbass,
Ukraine had been shelling these regions for 8 years with the loss of more than 14,000 civilian lives.
Those being called up are not used on the front lines but will be there to protect the Russian speaking areas whilst freeing up the experienced military to do their work elsewhere.
If you want to know the real truth and history of what is going on, look for Scott Ritter who is an ex UN weapons inspector.
Olegek
Just imagine: i'm sitting in Russia explaining something to Japanese people about Japanese domestic politics.
What is good for them and what is wrong.
Who is good guy and who is bad.
The same thing.
RichardPearce
There is some validity to the Afghanistan comparison.
The US backed, and continues to back people they pretend are nice with weapons and cash.
The DIFFERENCE is that Russia is (after the initial phase where they destroyedZelensky's heavy weapons and military aircraft factories and maintenance facilities plus a few other strategic military targets) sticking mainly to places where the LOCALS recognize the 'nice guys' the US is backing as the biggest threat to them and seems content to let the US and EU enjoy the company of the 'nice guys' and the consequences of keeping such company in the long run too.
Seems Russia was smart enough to learn valuable lessons from their mistakes in Afghanistan.
The same can't be said about those backing Zelensky.
TokyoLiving
Lord Putin can win, stop believing the Hollywoodish nonsense that the west is always the good guys..
Heh, heh..
Olegek
By the way, I'm from Russia.
May be some other Russia...
Seth M
You gotta love thess doom hyping western propaganda, conveniently forgetting that the US constantly called up reserves to fight in the Iraq war, and a few decades earlier, men were simply dragged to Vietnam.
Yrral
Eastman, NATO is a real piece of work Meloni, Duda, Orban,the champion of liberal democracy
Yrral
US is spending money in Ukraine,when have American soldiers ,that serve in the US, killing themselves because the pain they experience,while serving the US,and are not being provided with timely psychological help,but can find the money to send to Ukraine ,show they should be America priority,not Ukrainain Google US Military Suicide
bass4funk
Hmmm…
Yrral
Wallace, Biden has supported Ukraine,and what has ,he gotten out of it,it did not translate into political capital,60 percent of Biden party members say ,he should not run,their is not an overwhelming support of Ukraine in the Democratic party ,if they did not support Ukraine,their are not enough Ukrainain in the Democratic party,to make any difference
Eastman
...and all of this could be avoided if EU NATO and so called western democracies will treat Russia as equal partner-but did not happen/I talk about time 2014 -2021 especially end of 2021 when many russian requests for discussion about Ukraine and whole situation were largely ignored by them/.
Axel
For everyone of those deserting, there are 1000 volunteers. See the mobilization in Chechnya: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/O3vCMScbbN0