{"id":808441,"date":"2022-09-22T16:15:10","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T16:15:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=1622444"},"modified":"2022-09-22T16:15:10","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T16:15:10","slug":"mass-arrests-and-draft-resistance-follows-putins-mobilisation-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2022\/09\/22\/mass-arrests-and-draft-resistance-follows-putins-mobilisation-order\/","title":{"rendered":"Mass arrests and draft resistance follows Putin\u2019s mobilisation order"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mass arrests and protests have followed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s threats<\/a> to use nuclear weapons and his order to mobilise military reserves<\/a>. The resistance comes after Putin gave a fiery speech<\/a>\u00a0pledging that any incursion into Russian territory would be met with massive force<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Referendums in contested Russia-held territory have also been promised. The suggestion seems to be that those territories would be included under the new nuclear umbrella.<\/p>\n

The new orders follow major Ukrainian advances<\/a> into areas occupied by Russia since the invasion.<\/p>\n

Nuclear threats<\/h2>\n

In a major speech on Wednesday 21 September<\/a>, Putin condemned the west for supplying arms to Ukraine and said of alleged western nuclear threat against Russia:<\/p>\n

I\u00a0would like to\u00a0remind those who make such statements regarding Russia that our country has different types of\u00a0weapons as\u00a0well, and\u00a0some of\u00a0them are more modern than the\u00a0weapons NATO countries have.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He added:<\/p>\n

In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country and to defend Russia and our people, we will certainly make use of all weapon systems available to us. This is not a bluff.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mobilisations<\/h2>\n

Putin’s decree<\/a> that reserves be mobilised included an order that reservists would be paid the same as regular troops and enjoy the same conditions.<\/p>\n

The period of mobilisation was not specified and the precise numbers were not stated. The decree did also mention exemptions for age and illness.<\/p>\n

There were reports that within hours flights out of Russia and some other countries liable for reserve service were sold out within minutes<\/a>, with prices skyrocketing:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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Flights departing Moscow and St. Petersburg today. The @AP<\/a> is reporting international flights departing Russia have either sold out or skyrocketed in price after Putin announced a mobilization of reservists. <\/p>\n

Search SVO, VKO, DME for Moscow airports and LED for St. Petersburg. pic.twitter.com\/LV2PrkwPD9<\/a><\/p>\n

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) September 21, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n