Russia: Conscientious objector allegedly set himself on fire

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A woman weeps as she says goodbye to a reservist in the Rostov region of Russia

Photo:

SERGEY PIVOVAROV / REUTERS

According to media reports, a man in Russia set himself on fire out of desperation over his imminent conscription to the war against Ukraine.

The medium "Novaya Gazeta" published a video from a surveillance camera showing a person dousing himself with liquid and shortly afterwards burning his whole body.

According to eyewitnesses, the burning man at the bus station in the city of Ryazan, about 200 kilometers south-east of Moscow, shouted: "I don't want to go to the front!"

Police reportedly put out the fire and the man was reportedly taken to hospital with injuries.

There were different reports in the Russian media about his exact state of health.

There were initially no official announcements about the incident, which is said to have happened on Sunday.

Attacks on draft offices

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered reservists to be mobilized last Wednesday.

He was reacting to recent defeats by his army in the war against Ukraine that Russia began more than seven months ago.

Officially, a total of 300,000 Russians are to be conscripted for the front - this caused panic among many citizens.

For days there have been repeated protests and attacks on conscription offices across the country.

In the small town of Tarusa, around 130 kilometers south of Moscow, according to media reports, unknown persons threw a Molotov cocktail at a recruitment center building.

In the Russian republic of Dagestan in the Caucasus, where there had been major protests on Sunday, around 120 arrests have now been reported.

atb/dpa