September, Friday 20, 2024

Is Putin facing his newest obstacle: Military wives staging protests?


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A group of women in Moscow, known as The Way Home, are publicly criticizing the Russian government for keeping their husbands, who were part of the 300,000 reservists mobilized for the war in Ukraine in autumn 2022, away from their families. These women have varying views on the war, but they all believe that their husbands have done their fair share of fighting and should be allowed to return home. However, the Russian authorities do not share this opinion and public criticism of the war is risky in Russia due to the government's strict measures on dissent. The women in The Way Home have come together to share their stories with local councillor Boris Nadezhdin, who has been critical of the war. Nadezhdin believes that the war has damaged Vladimir Putin's popularity domestically. The women campaigning for the return of their husbands have faced criticism from opponents of the war as well as supporters of the Kremlin who portray them as Western stooges. Russian MP Andrei Kartapolov, who heads the Russian Duma's defence committee, even suggested that the call for demobilization was the work of Russia's enemies. The women, however, find such comments insulting and argue that the current situation is the opposite of what occurred during World War Two. They not only want their family members back but also aim to prevent more Russians from being called up and sent to the front line. To raise awareness, they lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every Saturday as a form of peaceful protest. The group hopes to honor the memory of fallen soldiers and signify their resistance to future mobilization. Unfortunately, the wives of mobilized reservists have not received much support from their communities, with some even believing that their husbands made a foolish choice by participating in the war. Despite the lack of support, these women continue to advocate for the safe return of their loved ones and question why they are seen as traitors for wanting their husbands back.