Russia calls anti-war protestors 'enemies', warns to send their relatives to front line

A staunch ally of President Vladimir Putin, Ramzan Kadyrov, has threatened to send the anti-war protesters to the front line in Ukraine. This comes after dozens of women in Chechnya’s Grozny took to the streets over Putin’s announcement to mobilize 3,00,000 reserve troops to bolster Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine.   

The Head of the Chechen Republic, Kadyrov, warned to send the relatives of anti-war protesters to the frontlines in Ukraine via a video on his Telegram while labelling them "enemies of the people".  

“Some people write that it is necessary to act against partial mobilization. Under these conditions, nobody should discuss the decision (of Putin) but must abide by it, so I urge everyone not to engage in nonsense and those who go out (to protest) are enemies of the people,” Kadyrov said in the video, reported Newsweek.  

Detainees being handed enlistment letters  

Earlier, OVD-Info, a Russian human rights watchdog had reported that protests had erupted across Russia against the war following Putin’s partial mobilization order. The watchdog had further stated that at least 1,386 people have been arrested in 38 cities across Russia during the protests.  

Furthermore, OVD-Info reported that some of the detainees had been handed draft papers and summons to military registration offices while in custody at police stations. Upon being questioned about the development, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that the practice "does not contradict the law" and "therefore, there is no violation of the law," reported Newsweek.  

"These people must be detained, these people must be sent to places [in which] a special operation is being carried out, and then it will be seen who they work for and what they really want," Kadyrov stated in his video address.  

Reports of arson in Russia amid anti-war protests  

According to the report by Newsweek, several regions in Russia reported incidents of arson amid the anti-war protests. A district military registration and enlistment office in Lomonosov was set ablaze. In Russia's Orenburg region, another military office was set on fire in the city of Gay on Wednesday night. A report of a Molotov cocktail being thrown at the main door of the government administration building on Belorusskaya Street in Tolyatti also surfaced.