JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Kremlin got its 300,000 troops. But how did Russian society fare?” – Christian Science Monitor

“Russia’s chaotic mobilization of troops has ended, its goals largely met. But the public is still coming to grips with the psychological stresses of the process – and of the ongoing war in Ukraine.”

“Under Russia’s Constitution, men have the right to seek alternative service if their health or personal beliefs preclude being drafted into the army. … [T]he Movement of Conscientious Objectors has been providing advice and legal assistance …. The self-described ‘refusenik’ movement has been overwhelmed by appeals from men of many ages desperate to avoid … mass mobilization announced by … Putin … carried out by many regional governments with … indiscriminate zeal …. Even supporters of the war in Ukraine … admit that the botched mobilization has radically altered social moods and aroused deep anxieties among a population … previously … largely complacent about the conflict . …”

Click here for: “The Kremlin got its 300,000 troops. But how did Russian society fare? Russia’s chaotic mobilization of troops has ended, its goals largely met. But the public is still coming to grips with the psychological stresses of the process – and of the ongoing war in Ukraine.” – Christian Science Monitor/ Fred Weir