War in Ukraine: Anger at partial mobilization - "We are not cannon fodder!"

Created: 09/25/2022, 04:50

By: Tim Vincent Dicke, Lucas Maier, Jan-Frederik Wendt, Christian Stör

In Russia there is resistance to partial mobilization.

Zelenskyj warns of an explosion at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia.

The news ticker.

• Counteroffensive:

  Kiev reports further territory gains by Ukraine.

• War crimes:

  UN finds evidence.

• Partial mobilization:

  Resistance in Russia - Recruitment offices set on fire.

• Editor

  's note: You can read all the news about the Ukraine conflict in this news ticker.

  Some of the information comes from warring factions in the Ukraine war and cannot be checked directly and independently.

+++ 8.41 p.m .:

Anger at the partial mobilization imposed by Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin is growing.

According to activist groups, more than 700 people were arrested during demonstrations against partial mobilization in Russia on Saturday (September 24).

There have been at least 710 arrests in 32 cities across Russia, almost half of them in Moscow, said the organization

, which documents arrests in Russia.

Partial mobilization is bringing many people onto the streets in Russia – the security forces are cracking down.

© AFP

In the Russian capital, a large police force was deployed to the Chistyje Prudy district, according to reporters from the

) news agency.

The journalists saw the arrest of around 20 demonstrators there.

"We're not cannon fodder!" shouted a young woman as police officers dragged her away.

In St. Petersburg,

reporters observed how around 30 demonstrators were taken away in a police bus.

"I want to make it clear that I do not agree with what is happening," said 22-year-old Ilya Frolov, who was carrying a small banner that read "Peace."

"I am against the war and mobilization."

News about the Ukraine war: Hundreds of Russian soldiers in nuclear power plants – Selenskyj warns of an explosion

+++ 18:33:

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj has urgently warned of the situation in the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

The employees of the nuclear power plant have to work under the most adverse conditions, the head of state said in an interview with the French press.

“Russia confiscated this nuclear power plant.

The Ukrainian technicians are there now, but they are like hostages because 500 fighters and equipment are deployed.

This has already been confirmed by the IAEA,” said Zelenskyy.

The IAEA is the International Atomic Energy Agency, it looks after the safety of nuclear facilities around the world.

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Referring to the danger of a nuclear explosion at the power plant due to the actions of the Russian military, Zelenskyy reminded that one unit at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded - while the Zaporizhia NPP has a total of six units.

News about the Ukraine war: Politicians apply for war service

+++ 4.30 p.m .:

The Ukraine war is having an increasing impact on life in Russia.

Since September 21, when the partial mobilization was announced, around 1,500 activists have been arrested, reports

, citing the independent protest monitoring group

.

Some of those arrested are said to have been directly drafted into the military.

But not only from the population is recruited since Wednesday.

Some deputies from the State Duma have now volunteered for service in the Ukraine war, as reported by

.

Only deputies from Putin's United Russia party have volunteered to be deployed.

These MEPs have come forward:

• Oleg Kolesnikov:

  Member of the State Duma Committee on Protection of Competition;

• Dmitry Khubezov:

  Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection; 

• Dmitry Sablin:

  Deputy Chairman of the Defense Committee; 

• Vitaly Milonov:

  Deputy Chairman of the Family, Women and Children Committee; 

• Sergei Sokol:

  Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy and Secretary of the Regional Department of United Russia in Khakass.

• Source:

  CNN

+++ 4.15 p.m .:

Poland has reiterated its position on the question of accepting deserters from Russia.

Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau is not alone in his stance

which he reiterated

in an interview with

The Baltic States and Finland are of the opinion that conscientious objection alone is not a sufficient reason for entry, as the

reports.

"We have decided to stop the current issuing of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation and thus abolish tourist visas," said Poland's Foreign Minister Rau.

However, there should be exceptions, for example for activists who actively oppose the war in Russia.

War in Ukraine: Russian attacks repelled – Putin forbids withdrawal

+++ 2.45 p.m .:

Most recently, the Russian army had to accept high losses and losses in land gains.

Against this background, the ruler of Russia, Vladimir Putin, is said to have interfered more and more in strategic planning, as the

reports.

The Ukraine War in Pictures - Destruction, Resistance and Hope

View photo gallery

Citing American officials, it is reported that Putin has also rejected requests to withdraw from the city of Kherson.

A withdrawal from Kherson would allow the Dnipro to be crossed, thus protecting soldiers' resources and lives, it is said.

But giving up Ukraine's only Russian-controlled regional capital would mean too much damage to Putin's image.

Ukraine War News: 25 Air Force Attacks

+++ 2:00 p.m .:

The Ukrainian army has repelled ten attacks by pro-Russian troops, the Ukrainian newspaper

The Air Force of Ukraine also flew a total of 25 attacks, according to the General Staff.

How high the losses are when fending off the attacks is currently being determined.

The attacks took place on the front in Donetsk.

The General Staff report also mentions that the army from Russia has started “referendums”.

According to this, only a few people are currently going to the polling stations, which is why the army is said to have started visiting people at home.

+++ 11.55 a.m .:

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) refers to the possibility of protection for Russian deserters in Germany: "Deserters who are threatened by severe repression usually receive international protection in Germany," said a representative the authority the

.

That also applies to Russia.

"The decision-making practice of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has already been adjusted accordingly." The granting of asylum remains a case-by-case decision, which also includes a security check, it said.

News about the Ukraine war: mobilization is not enough for Putin's plans 

+++ 9.38 a.m .:

The Russian partial mobilization is not sufficient for Putin’s plans.

This is reported by the US think tank

.

Accordingly, the partial mobilization is not in a position to produce even reserve forces "of low quality" unless Russia would fix systematic problems.

According to Russian military bloggers, Russia should also publish illegal tenders to mobilize men who do not meet the criteria set by the Kremlin.

In particular, the promise of the Russian Defense Minister Shoigu that only men with combat experience would be mobilized would be ignored in the tenders, according to the ISW.

In addition, the information suggests that the mobilization campaign is overtaxing an "ineffective and bureaucratic system" and unable to raise the much-needed reserve forces in the short or long term, the ISW concludes.

+++ 8.32 a.m

.: US President Joe Biden has already threatened Russia with tough sanctions in the event of annexations.

"Russia's referendums are a sham - a pretext for attempting to annex parts of Ukraine by force in a flagrant violation of international law," Biden said on Friday (September 23).

The US, along with its allies and partners, worked to take further “quick and tough” economic action against Russia in the event.

Update from Saturday, September 24, 6:20 a.m.:

Since the start of its counter-offensive, the Ukrainian army has recaptured around 9,000 square kilometers and freed 400 towns from Russian control, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The help of the Ukrainian population played an important role in this.

+++ 10:00 p.m .:

The imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny was again transferred to solitary confinement after his criticism of the partial mobilization ordered by Vladimir Putin.

"I didn't like what I said about the mobilization - so you, Navalny, get twelve days (carceration)!" Said the opposition figure during a court hearing, according to the Mediazona internet portal.

In a hearing earlier on Wednesday, he accused Putin of implicating "hundreds of thousands in his crimes" by sending them to war against Ukraine.

+++ 8.30 p.m .:

In the eastern city of Izyum, recently recaptured by Ukrainian troops, the exhumations in a forest with more than 400 new graves are about to be completed.

"A total of 436 bodies were found," said the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Synyehubov, in the news service Telegram.

Most of these died violent deaths.

30 bodies showed signs of torture, he explained.

Governor Synyehubov said there were dead with nooses around their necks, hands tied, limbs broken and gunshot wounds.

"Some men have had their genitals amputated," Synyehubov wrote.

The majority of the dead were civilians, but 21 soldiers were also buried there.

News about the Ukraine war: Kyiv reports further territory gains

+++ 19.15 p.m .:

In the Ukrainian port city of Odessa, an administrative building caught fire as a result of a Russian attack with Iranian drones.

A civilian was killed in the attack, a Ukrainian military official said on Telegram.

The Ukrainian air defense shot down an Iranian-made Shahed 136 drone over the sea.

+++ 6.15 p.m .:

According to their own statements, the Ukrainian military has achieved further successes in its counter-offensive.

The military representative Oleksiy Gromov said on television that the armed forces had recaptured the village of Yatskivka in the Donetsk region.

In addition, control of positions south of the city of Bakhmut, also in Donetsk, had been regained.

News about the Uktraine war: Partial mobilization does not apply to journalists loyal to the Kremlin

+++ 5.40 p.m .:

After the announcement of the partial mobilization, the Kremlin complained about the “hysteria” that now prevailed.

Background: In view of the call-up of reservists for the war in Ukraine, thousands of men are fleeing the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for adequate information.

"It's kind of understandable that for the first few hours after the announcement and even on the first day, there was a hysterical, extremely emotional reaction because there was in fact insufficient information," Peskow said.

In the meantime, however, there are also hotlines to clarify questions over the phone.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that high-tech workers should not be drafted.

Accordingly, the employees of the state propaganda media do not have to go to war either.

They are fueling the war and had called on Putin to do more in Ukraine.

Protected are therefore editors, publishers, employees of television, radio and newspapers.

They are among Putin's most important power pillars.

Ukraine war news: Ukrainian forces capture village

+++ 3.20 p.m .:

According to their own statements, the Ukrainian military has liberated another village in the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian forces have taken control of the village of Yatskivka and recaptured previously lost positions in the direction of Bakhmut, reports the

portal , citing the General Staff.

Ukraine war news: UN finds evidence of war crimes

+++ 1:45 p.m .:

The United Nations (UN) found evidence of Russian war crimes.

This is reported by the

news agency .

In presenting their findings, the team of experts from the commission of inquiry into Ukraine referred to testimonies from former detainees who reported beatings, electric shocks and enforced nudity in Russian detention facilities.

The experts also said that there were executions in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions.

“We were amazed at the large number of executions in the areas we visited.

The commission is currently investigating such deaths in 16 towns and settlements," said Erik Mose, the commission's chair.

However, Moses did not indicate which side carried out the executions.

Ukraine War: Partial mobilization creates resistance – recruitment offices set on fire

+++ 1:14 p.m .:

The partial mobilization causes a lot of excitement among the people in Russia.

The Russian-language newspaper

reports that five military recruiting offices have been set on fire.

Two fires broke out in the night of Thursday (09/22/2022) in the Khabarovsk and Amur oblasts.

Previously there had been attempts to burn down military offices, reports

- including one in the metropolis of St. Petersburg.

Ukraine war: Russia starts “referendums” – is the risk of using nuclear weapons increasing?

First report from Friday, September 23, 2022:

Kiev – While the bloody fighting in Ukraine continues, the so-called referendums on annexation by Russia have begun in four Russian-controlled areas.

Votes are taking place in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine's Donbass and in the southern Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhia.

The "referendums" are scheduled to run until Tuesday (September 27, 2022), after which a rapid annexation by Moscow is expected.

According to reports from Russian news agencies, voting began at 7 a.m. on Friday morning.

Accordingly, due to the short preparation time, they will not take place by electronic vote, but with paper ballot papers.

Pro-Russian officials will go door-to-door for the first few days to collect votes.

News in the Ukraine war: "Won't let Putin get away with it"

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sharply criticized Thursday's "referendums" in the UN Security Council.

"We cannot and will not allow Putin to get away with this," he said.

Before the votes began, Putin announced partial mobilization in Russia and issued a nuclear threat.

"In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country and in defense of Russia and our people, we will certainly use all weapon systems at our disposal.

This is not a bluff," said the Kremlin boss in a TV speech on Wednesday (September 21, 2022).

By considering the four Ukrainian regions as Russian territory, Putin can build a larger nuclear threat scenario.

(with agencies)