Mobilization in Russia for July 7-8, 2024 CIT Volunteer Summary

Authorities and Legislation

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed a decree to reestablish a Higher Artillery Command School in Saratov. The document sets a headcount target of 6,000 for its military and civilian staff and instructs the Ministry of Defense to make all the necessary arrangements by Sept. 1.

Authorities and Relatives of Mobilized Soldiers

The relatives of mobilized soldiers protested for the second time in front of the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, seeking a meeting with Russia’s Minister of Defense Andrey Belousov (the first rally took place on June 3). Eight women attended this time, timing the protest to coincide with the Day of Family, Love and Faithfulness. They demanded the return of their loved ones home from the war. The protesters brought sleeping bags and camping mats, saying they were ready to spend the night in front of the building if necessary. At one point, police officers approached them and requested to see their IDs. Colonel General Borisenko met with them outside the ministry’s reception and offered them "some kind of benefits," one of the participants indicated, adding that he did not tell them anything significant, nor did he offer them a meeting with the minister.

Later, police began detaining people present at the Ministry of Defense building. For instance, law enforcement officers detained a journalist from SOTAvision, while other journalists were asked to leave. The relatives of mobilized soldiers, however, were not touched. The SOTAvision correspondent was taken to the Khamovniki police station, but was later released without any charges. Pro-military activists from groups such as Volunteer Company and Putin's Squads were also present at the protest. According to activist Paulina Safronova, they were handing out "water and ice cream" and did not interfere with the women's demonstration. The police did not respond to the women’s requests to be shielded from the pro-military activists.

Another demonstration, "A Day Without Family," also timed to coincide with Family Day, was organized by members of the Put Domoy [Way Home] movement. They demanded the return of their husbands from the war and posed for photographs with posters reading "A Day Without Family" and "A Parade Without Family." According to the participants, the purpose of the demonstration was to show that they were not "invisibles" or "foreign agents" but "real family members who have lost their men." The movement also emphasized that its participants had no connection to the protest at the Ministry of Defense in Moscow.

Army Recruitment and Military Service Advertising

The head of Russia’s constituent Republic of Dagestan, Sergey Melikov, reported that the one-time sign-up bonus with the Ministry of Defense has been increased fivefold, from 100,000 to 500,000 rubles ($5,680). He emphasized that support for war participants and their families is a top priority. In addition to the regional payment, contract signees will receive at least 100,000 rubles ($1,140) from their city or district and 195,000 rubles ($2,210) from the federal government. Thus, volunteer fighters can receive a total of almost 800,000 rubles ($9,080).

Mobilized Soldiers, Volunteer Fighters, and Contract Soldiers

Over the past week, journalists from the Idel.Realii [part of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty] online media outlet, have identified an additional 404 residents of the Volga region who have been killed in the war in Ukraine. As of the morning of July 8, a total of at least 16,149 people from these regions have been killed. Bashkortostan [Russia’s constituent republic] remains the leader with 2,359 names on the list of casualties.

Sentences, Legal Proceedings and Incidents

In Kazan, the wife of a mobilized soldier is being tried for attempting to bribe a doctor. Rafina Gabbasova, through intermediaries, handed over 1.6 million rubles [$18,200] to an employee of the War Veterans Hospital to diagnose her husband in a way that would allow him to receive a draft deferral. Her husband's health had severely deteriorated since he joined the assault troops in 2022. To save him, she decided to offer a bribe. She passed the money through two intermediaries who claimed to have important connections in the hospital. However, they did not deliver the bribe and instead appropriated it for themselves. Gabbasova turned to law enforcement. Two criminal cases were initiated: one for bribery and another for attempted crime.

A 36-year-old resident of Russia's constituent republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has been accused of state treason for transferring cryptocurrency to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. To receive instructions, he allegedly joined the "Freedom of Russia Legion" group on social media. According to the Federal Security Service (FSB), the detainee pleaded guilty to his crime and expressed remorse.

In the Stavropol region, the FSB reported that a criminal case for high treason has been initiated against a local resident who allegedly passed information about one of the chemical plants in the city of Budyonnovsk to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) via Telegram.

The OVD-Info independent human rights project reported that in June 2024, 15 people were convicted of setting fire to relay cabinets. All adult convicts were sentenced to 10 or more years in a penal colony.

Buryat political prisoner Natalya Filonova, who had previously refused a pardon, was transferred to a strict regime for "violating the prison rules." Prior to this, she had been sent to solitary confinement three times. The activist was sentenced to two years and ten months in a penal colony for "violence" against police officers.

Assistance

In February, Governor of the Pskov region Mikhail Vedernikov exempted military personnel and their widows from paying the vehicle tax for one passenger car. However, in early July, districts began to overturn the decision they had approved just weeks earlier. For instance, the assembly of deputies of the Dedovichsky district stated that this part of the governor's decree did not comply with the Tax Code of Russia.

Children and Educational System

Sergey Zhukov, a member of the Human Rights Council under the Governor of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov, suggested that children assemble drones for the war in Ukraine. Zhukov later deleted his post.

Miscellaneous

Police conducted another raid targeting 2,000 foreign nationals in Saint Petersburg. These raids have intensified following the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack. According to the Bumaga [Paper] independent media outlet, police also checked migrants' knowledge of the Russian language. There were no reports of draft notices being distributed or individuals being taken to draft offices.

Longreads

In Russia, the memory of over 400 convicts recruited for the war in Ukraine has been commemorated, as discovered by the Vyorstka media outlet based on data from Mediazona [independent Russian media outlet], BBC News Russian, and its own counts. There are at least 408 such cases across 58 regions. Memorial plaques, engravings on monuments, and "hero desks" have been created in their honor. In 65 cases, museum exhibits, memorial corners, stands, and banners have been installed, and streets and districts have been named after the deceased. At least 128 commemorated convicts, killed during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, had collectively murdered more than 140 people. Additionally, 110 "war heroes" were serving sentences for drug trafficking at the time of their recruitment, 88 for theft, 46 for robbery, 24 for burglary, and at least two were convicted of rape and sexual violence.