Facing conscription, Russian men lose fundamental rights

topic:	Political violence
located:	Russia, Ukraine
editor:	Katarzyna Rybarczyk

When Russia announced a partial military mobilisation in September 2022, families were ripped apart and chaos broke out at the borders as thousands of men tried to flee to neighbouring countries. While the dust has just settled, there are already fears about an upcoming second round of military draft.

Over the last few weeks, increasing numbers of Russian men have received summonses to appear at their local enlistment offices, according to human rights advocacy groups. Among those who received them are primarily reservists and university students who previously postponed military service to complete their degrees.

Ukrainian intelligence officials have warned that Russia is attempting to mobilise an additional 500,000 conscripts. Some believe that these plans are motivated by Russia’s losses on the battlefield; as the invasion of Ukraine drags on longer than initially planned, the Kremlin needs to make up for personnel losses and recruit new soldiers to be sent to the front.

Apart from potentially triggering another surge in emigration, what can the consequences be if Putin goes ahead with the mobilisation? Russian men are likely to have their fundamental rights restricted.

Men who are drafted cannot leave the country, so their freedom of movement will be limited. Additionally, their access to education and employment will be compromised. Rather than attending university or work, they will be put in training centres.

The mobilisation has not yet been announced, but Russian students are already facing barriers to learning. Some students reported that those who are about to graduate are only issued diplomas if they prove they responded to their summonses.

Although not everyone who is mobilised is deployed on the battlefield, many worry that Russian men will be pressured into signing a contract to fight in Ukraine against their will. Following the first mobilisation round, Russian conscripts were sent to the frontline with “minimal or no training at all,” said British defence chiefs. If such a scenario happens again, the lives of Russian men will be put at risk.

In the face of the Kremlin’s authoritative control, Russians are left with very few options. However, “Go by the Forest,” an anti-war organisation, comes to their rescue. The NGO assists those who want to avoid mobilisation by helping them leave the country, either legally or illegally. The organisation also provides legal and psychological counselling to help Russian men cope with the burden of joining the military ranks.

Regrettably, if the mobilisation happens, the initiative will not be able to save everyone. Tens of thousands of Russians live in uncertainty and in fear of being sent to die in a war that many of them do not support.

Image by Valery Tenevoy

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