The street activism in Russia had largely paused since early March, when authorities moved quickly to silence protests against the Ukraine war. Since then, legal measures tightened, bringing in newly framed norms that criminalized spreading what officials described as false information about the Russian Armed Forces. Expressions that refer to the conflict as a war or a special military operation, or casualty figures diverging from the official count updated only twice since March, could trigger penalties up to 15 years in prison and substantial fines. A bill even advanced to punish protesters by sending them to the front. This initiative originated from the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.
In Moscow and St. Petersburg, demonstrations resurfaced and grew in size. The chant No war echoed as authorities reported numerous arrests, highlighting the persistence of dissent even under harsh restrictions.
Independent coverage noted a widening crackdown on independent media and police presence in city centers, with outlets that previously offered an alternate perspective facing pressure. The Moscow echo and Dozhd TV along with daily Novaya Gazeta were among those affected, forcing many journalists to operate from abroad in order to continue reporting.
A quiet dinner in Moscow offered a contrasting image of normal life, captured in social posts from the period.
Despite the repression, protests spread again across more than twenty cities on a Wednesday in solidarity with the mobilization protests announced by President Vladimir Putin. Slogans such as no to mobilization, not for war, and some high-profile calls to confront the leadership circulated on the ground, only to be dispersed by police or met with force in several locales. Initial action appeared in Siberian cities, with Krasnoyarsk and Ulan-Ude among the early centers, and additional cities joined the nationwide rally as the evening advanced. In multiple regions including Izhevsk, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk, Arkhangelsk, and Kaliningrad, residents took to the streets, alongside a dozen other smaller towns, signaling broad urban and rural participation.
The largest crowds gathered in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, where police detained a substantial number of participants. Independent outlets, including Mediazona, which has faced scrutiny from authorities, reported that some detainees received subpoenas while in custody. The broader pattern illustrated a sustained struggle between a government-led narrative and public calls for peaceful protest and accountability.
In rural communities across Sakha Republic in Yakutia, mobilization efforts continued with local gatherings and the dispatch of mobilized personnel to the conflict in Ukraine. Reports described a determined mood among those mobilized, even as certain observers noted skepticism and tension in these communities. Local social media activity highlighted the scale of mobilization efforts across distant regions, underscoring the nationwide reach of the mobilization initiative.
flight from russia
Faced with travel restrictions and a tightening border situation, some Russians sought to leave the country through neighboring states and beyond. The routes toward Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia became more frequented as people attempted to escape, with border crossings and transit points seeing increased traffic. Prices for remaining seats rose sharply, and tickets became scarce or prohibitively expensive. Some travelers found that last available flights to major hubs could command prices far above average earnings, reflecting the severity of the exodus in the period described. Reports from the time noted that many individuals were in the process of preliminary moves or seeking asylum arrangements as they contemplated life outside Russia.
In parallel, discussions and images from the mobilization process showed families and communities at crossings or transit points, with scenes of departure that conveyed a mix of relief and sorrow. Across several regions, those affected prepared for uncertain futures as the conflict continued to unfold and the military situation evolved, leaving a lasting imprint on the social and economic fabric of the country.