Relatives of those mobilized held pickets at AP and the Ministry of Defense

Wives and other relatives of Russians mobilized for the war in Ukraine, associated with the Telegram channel “The Way Home”, held a series of individual pickets in Moscow, and also laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “The Way Home” and “Sota” reported about it.

Pickets, in particular, were held at the Ministry of Defense and the Presidential Administration. In Russia, it is now the height of New Year’s holidays, the day was a non-working day.

On the placards that the participants of the pickets displayed, there were demands for demobilization. One of them in particular said: “Our government has turned my life into hell since 15 months ago civilians were taken to the front. We need demobilization.”

There were no detainees. According to “The Way Home”, during the picket at the presidential administration, an FSO officer released the police, however, upon arrival, the police confirmed that individual pickets “are a legal form of protest.” By law, they do not really require approval, but in recent years, their participants have often been detained, referring to the restrictions still in force in Moscow related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 15 women in white scarves, allegedly relatives of the mobilized, also laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

In the Telegram channel “The Way Home” it is confirmed that similar actions – laying flowers at the memorials of the Great Patriotic War – took place today in many cities of Russia. Published photos from a number of cities. In St. Petersburg, in particular, five women took part in the action. The message about this action contains a call for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and talks about the “mistake” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, while there is no direct condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• In September 2022, the Russian authorities announced the so-called partial mobilization for war with Ukraine. According to official data, about 300 thousand people were called up. The decree on mobilization is still in effect.
• Representatives of the Russian authorities have repeatedly stated that the mobilized will remain in the army until the end of the so-called special military operation.
• Wives and mothers of mobilized soldiers create numerous petitions and write letters to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin with a request to conduct demobilization or rotation of mobilized military personnel.
• In November, a movement of mobilized relatives called “The Way Home” appeared in messengers. A manifesto and a petition against indefinite mobilization were published. Initially, “The Way Home” emphasized the need to rotate the mobilized, later calls for the end of the war began to appear.
• A number of pro-Kremlin bloggers, without evidence, accused “The Way Home” of ties with the Russian opposition, in particular supporters of Alexei Navalny. The participants of “Ways Home” claimed pressure from the authorities of different regions, but there were no reports of any large-scale persecution of them.