Mikhail Svetin could be arrested for participating in protests in Moscow against sending hundreds of thousands of reservists to Ukraine. But what he never expected was that he would be given a marching ticket to be sent to the front.

A few hours after the Vladimir Putin announced Wednesday the mobilization of 300,000 men and women, Mikhail, a 29-year-old musician, marched on the Arbat. Like about 1,300 other people across the country, he was arrested.

“I was waiting for the usual (procedures): arrest, police station, trial,” said the young man, contacted by AFP by phone on Thursday.

“But when they told me: “Tomorrow you will go to war” (…)”, it was a surprise,” he said.

According to OVD-Info, a government organization that tracks protests across Russia, Svetin is not the only protester called to the police station after his arrest, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov ruled there was nothing “illegal” about it.

“Either you sign or you go to jail”

Svetin says that after his arrest, the officers took him to a separate room, where they wanted him to sign a summons to enter the military registration and enlistment office.

“Either you sign this, or you will be in prison for ten years,” he was threatened, stressed a 29-year-old man who opposes the February 24 attack by Russia against Ukraine.

On Tuesday, ahead of the partial draft, Parliament approved harsh prison terms for those who refuse to serve in the army or desert. However, this law has not yet entered into force.

Svetin refused to sign the warrant on the advice of his lawyer and was released on Thursday at 5 am.

However, the police warned him that Russia’s powerful Investigative Committee, which handles major criminal investigations, would be informed of his refusal and that he would face “big problems”.

“Sorry, I signed”

Andrei, who turned 18 last week, also took part in protests in Moscow on Wednesday. He was also arrested and issued a summons.

But, unlike Svetin, the teenager signed the document under “threat”, a digital copy of which was able to view the AFP.

“It was clear that I couldn’t run away (…) I looked around and decided not to fight back,” said a young man contacted by AFP by phone. “Unfortunately, I signed.”

However, Andrei has just started his studies at the university. Both the Kremlin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu assured that cadets would not be called up, as Russian forces speak of reservists with special skills or military experience.

Andrei, who is still looking for a lawyer, finally decided not to go to the draft board at the appointed time, 10 am on Thursday. And he doesn’t know what the consequences will be.

“I haven’t told my parents yet,” she says, “they’ll be worried.”

“I’ll tell them when I have a better idea of ​​what’s going to happen to me.”

^{Source: APE-MEB, AFP.}