Over 1,300 arrested as Russians protest against Ukraine mobilisation, NGO says
- Rallies took place in 38 cities across the country after Putin ordered the calling up of 300,000 reservists
- The protests were the largest in Russia since demonstrations that broke out following the announcement of Moscow’s invasion in February
More than 1,300 people have been arrested at demonstrations across Russia against President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a partial mobilisation of civilians to fight in Ukraine, a police monitoring group said on Wednesday.
The OVD-Info monitoring group counted at least 1,332 people detained at rallies in 38 different cities across the country after Putin’s morning address to the nation.
The protests were the largest in Russia since demonstrations that broke out following the announcement of Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine in February.
Agence France-Presse journalists in the centre of the Russian capital Moscow said at least 50 people were detained by police wearing anti-riot gear on a main shopping street.
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In Russia’s former imperial capital, Saint Petersburg, AFP reporters saw police surround small a group of protesters and detain them one-by-one, loading them onto a bus.