Around 1,330 people were arrested on Wednesday in spontaneous demonstrations in at least 38 Russian cities against the partial mobilisation, which has been announced by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. The demonstrations which took place on Wednesday were the largest since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
As per reports, at least 50 people were arrested on one of the main streets of the capital city of Moscow. In Saint Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city, a bus full of detainees was taken away by police from the city centre. Demonstrators chanted, “No to war!” and “No to mobilisation!”
The Interior Minister of Russia, has confirmed that there had been a crackdown on “attempts to organise unauthorised demonstrations.”
He said that, “Everyone was stopped and those who broke the law were arrested and taken to police stations.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Putin had announced a partial mobilisation of reservists. According to the Ministry of Defence, 300,000 people are to be called up.