This is demonstrated by a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
According to the report, the Kremlin has failed to fully suppress local protests organised by wives of mobilised Russian servicemen since the partial mobilisation began on 21 September 2022.
On Saturday, September 21, 2024, on the second anniversary of the partial mobilization, wives of Russian soldiers called up to the front staged a protest in front of the building of the Ministry of Defense, demanding a meeting with Minister Andrei Belousov.
The opposition publication Mobilization News reported that the minister refused to meet with the protesters and that the group of provocateurs who tried to disrupt the demonstration was probably sent by the Ministry of Defense itself. These people insulted the women and tried to disperse them.
“Russian authorities are avoiding another wave of mobilization because dictator Putin fears the public reaction that could result from such a move,” the report says. At the same time, according to Western intelligence, the Kremlin is already beginning preparations for the possible holding of the next conscription, as the lack of resources in the Russian army is felt more and more every day.
Protests against the mobilization in Russia
In January 2024, one of the largest protests since the beginning of the war in Ukraine took place in Bashkiria. People took to the streets in support of a local activist who was arrested on charges of “inciting ethnic hatred.”
On February 3, an action by the wives of the mobilized men took place in Moscow, timed to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the announcement of the partial mobilization. Some participants in the demonstration were detained by the police and information about the event was virtually not covered by the official media.
Earlier, Kursor reported that Putin was threatening the United States and Britain with war. Kremlin dictator Putin issued an unexpected ultimatum to the West and threatened to escalate the conflict if the Ukrainian Armed Forces are allowed to strike deep into Russian territory with Western weapons.
