Mobilization in Russia for Nov. 5-6, 2024 CIT Volunteer Summary
Army Recruitment and Military Service Advertising
The Krasnoyarsk city administration has introduced an additional sign-up bonus of 200,000 rubles [$2,050] for signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense, effective from Nov. 1 until the end of 2024. Combined with the current regional bonus of 400,000 rubles [$4,090] and the same amount provided by the national government, contract soldiers will receive a total of 1 million rubles [$10,200].
Mobilized Soldiers, Volunteer Fighters and Contract Soldiers
Andrey Somov, a contract soldier from the town of Verkhoturye in the Sverdlovsk region, who was reported missing by his parents, has been found near the city of Donetsk and returned home. Despite being medically deemed unfit for military service due to a severe mental disorder diagnosed after a suicide attempt and months of psychiatric care, Somov was deployed to combat operations near Donetsk. He was sent from the city of Yekaterinburg as part of a unit comprising AWOL soldiers, and served without compensation. When his parents found out, they filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office.
In the Sverdlovsk region, the Military Prosecutor's Office revoked the mobilization order for a local resident with HIV. The man had been drafted twice: first in September 2022, at the height of the mobilization, when he stayed at the military base for only one day. This summer, he went to the draft office to clarify his status and was labeled a deserter. From there, without undergoing a medical evaluation, he was sent by plane directly to the frontline. He is currently stationed near the town of Avdiivka. Although the mobilization order has been canceled, his return home now depends on his unit's command.
Ilyas Yakubov, a 31-year-old MMA fighter from Chechnya [Russia's constituent republic], who was arrested in Moscow on charges of publicly justifying terrorism, posted a photo of himself in the assault troops uniform of the Storm unit. His criminal case had previously been dismissed due to his deployment to the war in Ukraine. According to the Kavkaz.Realii [Caucasus.Realities, part of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty] media outlet, the photos were taken in Luhansk, about a hundred kilometers [62 mi] from the frontline.
Sentences, Legal Proceedings and Incidents
It has been reported that Yegor Semenov from Melitopol, who attempted to poison graduates of an aviation school, is accused of an attempted act of terror and treason, according to the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation. According to the agency, 34-year-old Semenov, who became a Russian citizen in 2023, was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence services, who instructed him to kill graduates of the Armavir Higher Military Aviation School. He was allegedly promised 400,000 rubles [$4,090] for this, though he never received the money. According to investigators, Semenov added cordiamine poison to alcoholic beverages and a cake, which were then delivered by courier to one of the city's restaurants where the reunion of the aviation school graduates was taking place. Unable to identify the sender of the package, the graduates handed it over to law enforcement officers.
At Moscow's Domodedovo Airport, Armenian citizen Armen Balyan, who allegedly fought with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has been detained. According to the Investigative Committee, Balyan was detained "while attempting to enter the territory of the Russian Federation." According to investigators, the man arrived in Ukraine in November 2022 and participated in combat as part of territorial defense forces until December 2023. In August 2024, he was put on a wanted list on charges of mercenary activity. He is currently under arrest and has reportedly pleaded guilty.
In Russia's constituent Republic of Buryatia, local resident Dmitry Zimin was charged with intended treason and sentenced to eight years in a penal colony for attempting to join the Freedom of Russia Legion. Zimin is said to have corresponded with the Legion representatives and, at the Legion's instructions, photographed cell towers in a Buryat village on their orders, then sent the images and coordinates to his "handlers." Prosecutors allege that Zimin obtained a passport to travel to Ukraine and "prepared camouflage clothing, medical supplies, knives and other items intended for use in performing the duties of a member of the terrorist organization upon arrival in Ukraine." Zimin then allegedly purchased a train ticket from Buryatia to Moscow with the intention of traveling to the Bryansk region and subsequently crossing the border into Ukraine.
Intelligence services have detained Ivan I., a 31-year-old resident of the Stavropol region, who is suspected of detonating an explosive device on the railway. The incident occurred on Nov. 3 on the stretch between Dyoma and Chernikovka railway stations in Russia's constituent Republic of Bashkortostan. As a result of the explosion, 22 wagons were derailed and contact supports were damaged. Preliminary data indicates that the explosive device was placed under one of the cars. A criminal case for sabotage has been initiated against the detainee.
A Moscow court sentenced 34-year-old Aleksandr Kraychik to 13 years in a maximum security penal colony on charges of high treason. According to investigators, on Feb. 26, 2022—two days after the start of the full-scale invasion—Kraychik donated €50 to a German bank account set up to raise funds to support the Ukrainian military. The Federal Security Service (FSB) officers visited Kraychik's workplace in April last year and seized his phone. He was later detained while attempting to fly to Istanbul. He was first detained for five days for minor hooliganism, and then repeatedly subjected to "carousel" arrests [consecutive short detentions]. After his last arrest, he was moved to a detention center in Perm on charges of high treason. At the time of the money transfer, laws equating support for the AFU with treason had not yet been enacted.
Prosecutors have accused the head of the Omsk branch of the Russian Red Cross of embezzling humanitarian aid intended for refugees, charging him with large-scale fraud and abuse of office. Investigators allege that in 2022, he transferred 6.2 million rubles [$63,400] into his personal bank accounts. The funds provided by a religious organization were intended to assist refugees and Omsk residents affected by fires.
The FSB has been summoning Russians who have obtained humanitarian visas from "unfriendly" countries for questioning, says Evgeny Smirnov, a lawyer with the Pervy Otdel [First Department] human rights project, who spoke to Holod, an independent Russian media outlet. According to him, the practice started after the country began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and targets individuals found in possession of a humanitarian visa or residence permit when crossing the federal border, or those who have visited foreign consulates within Russia. Smirnov notes that there are no known cases of the FSB questioning citizens solely over tourist visas. During these interrogations, officers seek to determine when and why the person traveled abroad and with whom they might have "collaborated," giving special attention to independent journalists who have traveled to the United States. The FSB often conducts these interrogations at the individual's workplace or educational institution. Although individuals formally have the right to refuse to speak with the FSB, doing so may lead to detention and charges of "disobedience."
Residents of the village of Murom in the Shebekino district have complained of looting by Russian soldiers. One local man reported that the few remaining villagers saw soldiers entering empty homes. In response to the complaint, head of district administration Vladimir Zhdanov promised to address the situation with law enforcement. Previously, residents of the Kursk and Belgorod regions had also complained of looting by Russian soldiers.
Assistance
In the Samara region, a new position has been created for a deputy chair of the regional government to handle "special military operation" matters. This deputy will be responsible for coordinating tasks related to supporting the "special military operation."
Miscellaneous
Yandex Maps started blurring satellite images of Russian military airfields. The blurred images also include certain dual-use airports, whose infrastructure serves both civil aviation and the Ministry of Defense.
The Levada Center conducted a survey asking respondents, "If a family member or someone close to you signed a contract to participate in the special military operation, would you be more likely to approve or disapprove of this decision?" According to the results, 40% of respondents said they would support such a decision, while 42% would not approve. Another 17% were undecided, and 1% declined to answer. Of those who disapproved, 54% cited concerns for the safety of their loved ones, while 31% expressed anti-war sentiments.