Instead of taking to the streets and rebelling against Putin, Russian men are sticking their tails between their legs.
The Russian population has so far been rather quiet when it comes to showing opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Studies even show that a majority support for the war. Yes, I am aware that the regime is brutal and that you risk going to prison, being beaten, or poisoned if you speak out against the system. But that consequence doesn’t hold the Russians back now that the war is suddenly affecting them personally.
It amazes me that the Russian population has not previously filled the streets with demands that Putin immediately pulls its troops out of Ukraine, a sovereign and independent country. I guess, to the average Russian citizen it didn’t feel like the atrocities taking place in their neighboring country affected them personally – and so they remained silent and continued with their daily lives. In Russia, he who lives quietly, lives well.
Until now. Now Russian men and the families who part with them have to take a stance when it comes to the war their leader started. Putin wants to draw on the reserve. He says he intends to mobilize 300,000 from the reserve. He still has access to 25 million Russians if he manages to summon every single able bodied person.
There are simply too many Russians for Putin to send into war as cannon fodder.
Western journalists report mile-long queues of cars, all heading one way – out of Russia. CNN showed a graphic that made it clear that planes are taking off from Russian airports faster than you can say “hypocrisy,” while plane tickets out of the country within hours were either sold out or increased to nine times their normal price.
But what happens if Europe starts to do like Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland? These three countries have announced that they will not allow Russian men fleeing military conscription into their country – a rather stark contrast to the ever-clumsy Germany’s announcement that it will welcome Russian men.
Today, BBC reported that more victims of Russian brutality have been found in Ukraine. Several have had their throats cut, others have been raped. The victims are as young as four years old. Further, we know that Russia kidnaps children and sends them to Russia, deliberately goes after bombing schools, and has a clear strategy to target children in the Ukrainian hospitals.
Apparently, the knowledge of the war crimes we have known about for months, is not enough to mobilize the Russians to take to the street. As I said, there has been general support for the war in Russia. But that was before ordinary Russian men were called up for service, something Putin had previously said would not happen. So now, now that it affects the very ordinary Russian – now they are finally reacting.
I have previously written that Russian tourists should not be allowed to travel to European tourist destinations – while their compatriots are carrying out horrific acts of war. It shouldn’t be easy to be Russian – it should be difficult. It should be so difficult that the Russians begin to rebel against their despotic leader.
There is no point in thinking that it is enough to donate money or support the West sending military goods to bring an end to this war. There are simply too many Russians for Putin to send into war as cannon fodder. A change must take place from within. The West must assist with that help by putting pressure on Putin and the Russian population. The West should sanction free movement, apparently that is the only way to force the population to stand up – not for Ukrainians but for their sons, fathers, and brothers.
By forcing the population to stay in Russia, the West may be able to get Russians of gun-bearing age to take a stand against their regime and leadership and throw Putin out the door.
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Stop russiske mænds adgang til Europa – de skal se krigens rædsler og gøre oprør mod Putin
I stedet for at gå på gaden og gøre oprør mod Putin stikker russiske mænd halen mellem benene.
Danish-American Eyes on Society 