Russia begins testing forced conscription as men are taken off streets
Photo: mobilization in Russia (Getty Images)
In the Russian city of Omsk, reports are emerging of a new practice for recruiting men into military service. Those detained are taken to selection points, where they are coerced into signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense, according to the Omsk Civil Association.
One such case occurred recently, when a 31-year-old man was detained on the street while drinking beer. He was then taken to the Sirius 55 selection point.
According to relatives, psychological pressure was applied to the man there, after which he signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense. The relatives contacted the prosecutor's office but were told to provide additional documents and apply again.
Men can be recruited during raids
Officially, police and military personnel carry out such raids to identify individuals violating military registration rules.
However, as noted, detainees are also offered — or coerced into — signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Photo: Forced recruitment roundups in Penza (t.me/Govorit_NeMoskva)
According to representatives of the human rights project Idite Lesom (Go to the Woods), it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Russian authorities to recruit volunteers for the war. As a result, rights activists believe, the authorities are expanding the practice of forced conscription.
Among the methods they cite are detaining men on the streets, officials visiting homes and workplaces, as well as recruiting debtors, individuals on probation, and recently demobilized servicemen.
Context
According to some reports, such incidents in remote Russian cities are not isolated but are part of the Kremlin's testing of public reaction to a potential intensified mobilization. For instance, the same recruitment system operates in Penza as in Omsk. Law enforcement officers are deliberately targeting men with debts or criminal records, picking them up on the streets or intercepting their vehicles. Contracts are being forced even on those detained on the street while intoxicated.
Notably, the military commissar of the Penza region, Andrei Surkov, confirmed that street raids are being conducted to locate draft-eligible individuals but denied any connection to mobilization.
Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed Putin's plan for a rapid mobilization in Russia. The Russian dictator Putin plans to announce it after the parliamentary elections.
