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I'm Maxim Polyakov, a correspondent for the online magazine ‘7x7’.

On February 3, the wives of mobilized Russian soldiers staged the largest protest to date. Over 100 women, all members of the 'Put' Domoy' ('The Way Home') movement, gathered at the Kremlin walls. Not a single participant was apprehended by the police; only journalists covering the demonstration were detained. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, protests have effectively been banned in Russia. Police swiftly apprehended anyone daring to condemn the war or make any demands on the government. In this newsletter, I'll explain why authorities aren't taking action against the wives of mobilized recruits and cover the changes in these women’s rhetoric.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Context

To provide a comprehensive understanding, here are some key facts regarding mobilization in Russia and the women’s protest movement.

• Partial mobilization of Russian recruits began in September 2022, deploying over 300,000 individuals to war zones. The service conditions for mobilized soldiers differ from those with military contracts or in private military companies. Contracted soldiers can take up to 2 leaves per year, while mobilized recruits cannot see their loved ones at all. 
• Vladimir Putin has yet to order the end of partial mobilization, meaning military authorities are not obligated to conduct demobilization.
• The movement of the wives of the military, 'Put' Domoy' ('The Way Home'), emerged five months ago, in August 2023. Initially, these women generally supported Putin and the 'special military operation' (as they called the war, echoing Russian authorities), only demanding the return of their husbands. However, by the autumn of 2023, their rhetoric became much more radical. Some women began openly criticizing Putin and urging an end to the war and demobilization.

What Was The Protest Near The Kremlin Like

The protest that took place near the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' monument on February 3 marked the 9th demonstration by the 'Put' Domoy movement, and the first to draw such a significant number of participants.

In autumn 2023, the movement's members supported the concept of army rotation: their loved ones would return home, replaced by other men. However, by February 2024, their perspective shifted, as expressed in the recent statement:

"We demand the end to mobilization, not merely a so-called rotation. Our aim is to shield others from the same grief and misery we've experienced. The state machinery won't halt for our husbands, sons, fathers, or brothers. Anyone could be next, making it our duty to save them from this slaughter."

Russian oppositionists supported the movement’s claim. “Advocating complete demobilization is the right thing to do. Indefinite military service of mobilized recruits is the weak point of Putin’s system, and it should be pressed. Even those who sympathize with Putin realize the injustice of this de facto slavery, wrote Alexey Navalny’s supporters on their Telegram channel ‘Team Navalny.’ 

The demonstration gathered over a hundred participants; according to other sources, there were several hundred. Most women came with white headscarves, winter hats, and scarves as symbols of the movement. Organizers recommended everyone wear any white accessory to express their solidarity.

Maria Andreeva, a member of 'Put Domoy,' whose husband and brother had been mobilized, claimed that authorities paid for the loyalty of some military families. "When they started paying as much as they do now [to the families of mobilized recruits], it became a financial stimulus for many. To put it bluntly, many women sold themselves, their silence. Here you can see the women who need their husbands back home," she told journalists. "We don't need any [memorial] plaques in schools; we need our men. What should I do if anything happens to my husband: join a monastery or follow him to the grave?" added Antonina, the wife of a mobilized soldier.

The demonstration’s participants managed to place flowers near the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.' Soon after that, the police started apprehending journalists who covered the event, but not the women themselves.

Reactions

One of the main questions following the demonstration near the Kremlin is why the police did not apprehend the women. Alexey Navalny’s supporter, Ivan Zhdanov, explains it this way: “Well, the Kremlin’s tactic is clear. They did not dare detain women with white headscarves but apprehended journalists instead, thus intimidating them and preventing masses from learning about the protest. This small demonstration is the most dangerous case for the authorities right now, a spark that might ignite a flame, a little chance to stop the war.”

Oppositionist and ‘foreign agent’ Lev Shlosberg believes that Russian authorities are in disarray: “The authorities cannot answer to these women because they don’t have any answers for the whole country either. When will this end? How will this end? At what point will it end? The society’s urge for peace is increasing, but it does not get any response at the sole place where decisions are taken because Vladimir Putin’s goal is a military victory, which, as we know, must be achieved at all costs. Thus, the mobilization is indefinite.”

The ‘Put’ Domoy’ movement’s members highlighted that only a couple of months ago their demonstrations gathered 10 participants at best, and now there are over 100. They announced a new protest scheduled for February 10 on their Telegram channel: “We will come at peace, unarmed, with carnations in our hands, in a week. February 10, 12 PM, the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.’ It will be our 10th demonstration, so it is easy to memorize: 10th time, February 10. Everyone, who is not indifferent, is welcome. Put on white headscarves, hats, and scarves. Who can prevent us from placing flowers on the central memorial of the Great Patriotic War? After all, we are not in a Nazi country, right?”

The last question in this statement is clearly rhetorical. It seems that women know the answer perfectly well but do not dare say it out loud yet.

In Lieu Of A Postscript

In December 2023, the 'Put Domoy' Telegram channel had 35,000 subscribers, and now the number has grown to 66,000. There are Putin supporters among the wives of mobilized soldiers, but even they are willing to participate in protests near the Kremlin. 

Putin's administration seems unable to find a solution to this situation. They do not know how to silence the women and are reluctant to arrest them. Political scientist Abbas Gallyamov described this situation as a "perfect illustration of Putin's attitude towards the Russian people. Soldiers at the frontlines will especially appreciate this: while they spill blood for this political regime, their wives are being forced into police vans by fat cops from the capital."

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