"Confusion Deepens in Russia Over 'Military Mobilization Order'... Protesters Arrested and Incorrect Notices Delivered"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Since Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a military mobilization order, the chaos in Russia has been intensifying day by day.

According to AP News and others, Russian police announced that they arrested about 700 people while dispersing protests against the mobilization order across Russia, including in Saint Petersburg. Photos released by foreign media show police equipped with helmets and riot gear suppressing and arresting protesters.

In some regions, controversy arose as mobilization notices were mistakenly delivered to reservists without military experience. An official from the Sakha Republic in Russia stated on Telegram that fathers with underage children were wrongly included in the conscription list, saying, "All those wrongly conscripted will return. That process has already begun."

Earlier, President Putin announced on the 21st that the partial military mobilization would target reservists with military experience. However, contrary to this statement, men without military service experience, those with illnesses, or those with young children are being mobilized in various places, leading to growing dissatisfaction within Russia.

AP evaluated, "Putin's mobilization order marks a drastic change in the 'special military operation' that had little impact on the lives of many Russians over the past seven months."

Andrei Kolesnikov, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told The Guardian that this mobilization order would be a costly gamble, stating, "People who were sitting comfortably in front of their TVs may actively express their opinions and pose a threat to the system. We are already seeing the first signs of dissatisfaction."

Meanwhile, Russia is conducting a two-day referendum to annex four regions it occupies in Ukraine into Russia. Testimonies from the field indicate that this vote is being conducted in violation of basic procedural principles such as secret ballots. Amid the referendum, Russian forces reportedly launched missile attacks on apartments and other locations in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.