Russia-Ukraine war

The Jews in Russia are trying to escape the country after the announcement of general conscription: "Those who refuse are beaten"

Following Putin's announcement about the recruitment of 300,000 reservists for the war in Ukraine, many Jews living in the country are trying to find their way to Israel.

"The cost of a plane ticket to Tel Aviv has risen to almost 10,000 dollars and on the black market it is already more"

Yoav Itiel

09/22/2022

Thursday, September 22, 2022, 5:03 p.m. Updated: 5:54 p.m.

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Russian President Putin announced his support for referendums in separatist districts in Ukraine (Photo: Reuters)

After Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the mobilization of 300,000 reservists for the war in Ukraine, many young Jews living in Russia fear that they will be sent to battle.

"The panic is rising, the reality is horrifying. Anyone who refuses is beaten and sent on buses to prison," wrote a young woman from St. Petersburg today (Thursday), "What is happening here? How is this happening in the 21st century and the world is silent?".

Masha, a 26-year-old resident of Haifa who immigrated from Moscow, told Walla that two of her friends had already fled to Israel.

"Most of those who were afraid of the draft are already here," she said.

"Those who are still in Russia are people who are not afraid, who are exempt from all kinds of reasons. Nobody wants to see Russia go to war, but what to do, that's the reality."

A post by a young woman from Russia in Hebrew (photo: screenshot, no)

The campaigner and entrepreneur who, at the beginning of the war, founded the rescue mission from Ukraine, 36-year-old Sania Waldberg, said that he hears about people who are panicking and trying to leave the country. According to him, he is putting efforts to try and rescue more Jews from Russia. working, and for obvious reasons," he explained. "It's a complex event and unfortunately in the Israeli government, not everyone understood the situation and where it was going.

" "As a Jewish people in general, we have a bad collective memory in the context of war, including us, and we don't want to be involved or close to it.

Meanwhile, Putin is no longer talking about an operation, but about a general mobilization, that is, a war." Waldberg added. "The cost of a plane ticket to Tel Aviv has risen to almost 10,000 dollars and on the black market it is already more.

People understood that they could be recruited, and if not them, then their relatives."

More in Walla!

The numbers behind the threats: how many nuclear weapons does Putin have and what damage can they cause?

To the full article

Anti-conscription protesters arrested in St. Petersburg.

Last night (Photo: Reuters)

Yesterday, Putin announced a partial general mobilization of reserve forces, in a dramatic escalation against the background of the casualties suffered by his army in the war in Ukraine.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Russia, about 300,000 soldiers will be recruited out of two million reserve soldiers, the largest volume since World War II.

After the announcement, thousands of people went out to demonstrate against the move, and more than 1,100 protesters were arrested.

In a rare pre-recorded televised address to the nation, Putin said he wanted to "protect" Russian territories and accused the West of seeking to "destroy" the country.

He warned that Moscow would use "all the means" at its disposal, and accused the West - which supplies advanced weapons to the Ukrainian army - of "nuclear blackmail".

"I tell the West - we have many more weapons, this is not a bluff," threatened Putin, who also ordered an increase in the budget for Russia's arms industry, which is subject to Western sanctions.

"If the territorial integrity of our country is under threat, we will use all the means we have to protect our people."

The speech was an attempt to reassert Putin's authority over an out-of-control war that has undermined his leadership at home and on the global stage.

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