World Affairs International

Large-scale anti-mobilization protests have erupted across Russia, as many flee into neighboring nations in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Unlike the initial anti-war protests, which were mostly concentrated in western Russia, a surge of unrest is being reported in Russia’s ethnic minority regions, such as Dagestan.

So far, mobilization has been primarily amongst Russia’s ethnic minorities – a clear acknowledgment of the effect fallen Muscovite soldiers had on public support for the war in Afghanistan. Some students of colleges have been taken out of class and conscripted, while videos are emerging of conscripts in training centers, bussed in from across the country, and given their initial orders.

Currently, Russia has claimed 300,000 conscripts would face mobilization, though leaked documents indicate the number could be as high as one million.