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A Mass Exodus from Putin’s Russia Explained
You have all seen the news by now. Many seem to be leaving Russia, as Putin called for the partial mobilization of some 2.5 million Russian citizens.
A similar partial mobilization was called under Stalin after Hitler broke the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (a non-aggression pact between the USSR and Nazi Germany) in 1941.
Many Russians do not take it lightly. So, what’s going on? And why does it seem like everyone is leaving Russia?
Thus far, Putin has primarily called on citizens and volunteers outside of urban centers to join his war effort in Ukraine. These rural areas are typically much poorer than St. Petersburg and Moscow, so the incentive is to bring many from areas with high unemployment to ensure them indefinite work.
On Wednesday morning (the 21st of September, 2022), Putin changed his strategy and made it known in the first mass-televised speech since late February when he announced his “special military operation.”
Protests erupted across Russia by the end of the evening. Many were detained, arrested, and jailed. The OVD-Info rights group stated that over 1,300 people in 38 cities were detained on Wednesday for their protests against the partial mobilization.
