Protests by relatives of mobilised soldiers growing in Russia – ISW

Relatives of mobilised Russian soldiers continue to protest across Russia, with rallies taking place in the cities of Moscow, St Petersburg, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: The ISW reported that the protests are continuing despite the Kremlin's attempts to censor them and suppress any social movement in support of the mobilised Russian soldiers.

On 10 February, Russian opposition media outlets Sota and Mobilization News released footage showing members of the Russian civic movement the Way Home laying flowers and gathering at monuments in Moscow, St Petersburg, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg, calling for their relatives to be demobilised.

Mobilization News reported that members of the Way Home also visited the campaign headquarters of Russian presidential candidate Vladislav Davankov in Moscow and handed over letters asking for demobilisation to Davankov's team. The Russian authorities have recently attempted to censor protests by Way Home members at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow and nearby Manezhnaya Square. ISW stressed its assessment that the Kremlin's attempts to censor and discredit the Way Home movement underscore the Kremlin's desperation to shut down these protests, especially in the run-up to the March 2024 presidential elections.

To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 10 February:

• Delays in Western security assistance may lead to significant Ukrainian air defence missile shortages that could allow Russian forces to bomb Ukrainian forces or even front-line cities more aggressively.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Anatolii Barhylevych as Chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, replacing Lieutenant General Serhii Shaptala.
• Russian drone footage published on 9 February showed Russian forces executing Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) near Klishchiivka on the Bakhmut front.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated several Kremlin narratives aimed at justifying Russia's war in Ukraine and threatening the West at a ceremony honouring Diplomats' Day on 10 February.
• Kremlin mouthpieces reiterated ongoing Russian narratives blaming the West, specifically the United States, for the absence of constructive peace negotiations to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine, despite numerous Russian statements indicating that Russia is not interested in good-faith peace negotiations with Ukraine.
• The Russian State Duma is considering a bill aimed at further censoring actors designated as "foreign agents", likely aimed at censoring dissent from opposition media outlets and prominent information space voices.
• Russian forces made confirmed advances near Kreminna and Avdiivka.
• The relatives of mobilised Russian soldiers continue to protest throughout Russia despite previous Kremlin efforts to censor similar protests and suppress any possible resurgence of a broader social movement in support of mobilised Russian soldiers.
• Russian and occupation officials continue to set conditions for the deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied Ukraine through educational and extracurricular schemes.

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