Moscow sees protest from family members of Russian servicemen
In Russia, where public protests against the invasion of Ukraine are scarce, the wives and mothers of soldiers have recently come together in Moscow. They're demanding the return of their husbands and fathers from the warzone. The police are threatening the demonstrators with arrests.
A group of around 15 women, some with young children, gathered in front of the Russian Defense Ministry last week. Photos and videos posted on social media showed these women standing on the sidewalk, holding signs that read "It's time for the mobilized to return home" and "Please bring Daddy home!". They also asked for a meeting with the newly appointed Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov.
One of the protesters, Paulina, told news agency AFP, "Every participant is here for a different reason. One wants all soldiers to be withdrawn, another just wants their relatives to return. The wives and mothers of soldiers can't take it anymore. They want their men to come back."
"We have no intention of giving up"
The demonstration was interrupted by the police, who arrived in a prisoner transport vehicle and threatened arrests. However, the women claimed they left due to a sudden downpour. Despite the disruption, Maria, one of the protesters, remained hopeful, saying, "I hope that things will move. We have no intention of giving up."
Anti-war protests are rare in Russia due to the heavy-handed government repression. Those who openly oppose the Kremlin might be immediately arrested. But while authorities usually leave the families of mobilized men alone for a while, they still face intense pressure. Just a couple of days ago, a women's rights activist named Maria Andreyeva, who led protests for the return of mobilized men, was labeled a "foreign agent." Journalists reporting on the demonstrations have also been detained in the past.
The roots of this protest go back to when Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin ordered a mobilization wave about 6 months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. At the time, it was announced that 300,000 men were required for military service. Many relatives are now growing more upset that these soldiers are still not returning home, especially since other fighters who voluntarily enrolled at the front have already returned to Russia.
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Despite the threatening actions from the police, the protesting women in Moscow vowed to continue their demands for the safe return of their husbands and fathers, involved in the conflict in Ukraine. This attack on Ukraine has sparked rare public protests in Russia, with Moscow becoming a focal point of these dissenting voices against the Russian government's policies.
