Kremlin reluctant to announce new wave of mobilization in Russia - ISW
Photo: Russian authorities do not want to announce a new wave of mobilization (Getty Images)
Russian authorities are reportedly hesitant to announce a new round of mobilization due to concerns about a sharp negative reaction from the population, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
According to ISW, the Kremlin has not been able to completely suppress local protests, organized by the wives of Russian conscripts, since the partial mobilization was declared on September 21, 2022.
On Saturday, September 21, 2024 — marking the second anniversary of the announcement of partial mobilization — a group of wives of mobilized Russian soldiers staged a protest outside the Ministry of Defense headquarters, demanding a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov.
The Russian opposition outlet, Mobilization News, reported that the minister did not meet with the protesters and that a group of provocateurs disrupted the demonstration, verbally assaulting and attempting to disperse the women. The outlet claims that these provocateurs were likely sent by the Russian Ministry of Defense to break up the protest.
"ISW has assessed that Russian authorities are reluctant to conduct another round of partial mobilization or general mobilization due to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fear of the societal backlash to involuntary reserve call-ups," the ISW states.
Anti-mobilization protests in Russia
In January this year, Russia's Bashkortostan witnessed one of the largest protests since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. People rallied to defend a local activist who had been detained by security forces and accused of inciting ethnic hatred.
On February 3, a protest took place in Moscow organized by the wives of mobilized men, marking 500 days since the partial mobilization was declared by Putin in September 2022. Several participants were detained by police, and information about the protest was hidden from official media.
Subsequently, protests continued in Moscow and started to gain momentum in other Russian cities.
