“Putin’s war” Women struggle April 5th 12:54
Some women are openly demanding that President Putin
end the special military operation and come to the negotiating table, or go to the front lines and die.
I am a member of ``Puch Damoy'' (The Road Home), a network formed by the wives and mothers of Russian mobilized soldiers.
Will these women, who are under pressure from the authorities and demand their husbands and sons back, bring about changes in Russian society? We spoke to three women.
What is “Puchi Damoy” (The Road to Home)?
In September 2022, President Putin decided to mobilize 300,000 people. Protests erupted in the country, and many people fled the country to avoid the convocation.
And now in Russia, the wives and mothers of those who were mobilized to fight in the war have started a network called ``Puch Damoy'' and are calling for the return of their husbands, lovers, and sons.
The number of subscribers to the SNS channel is approximately 66,000 (as of April 3).
Initially, the women carried out activities such as writing petitions to central and local politicians, but as their wishes went unanswered, they have now begun to criticize ``Putin's war.'' It is.
“Six months at most” a verbal promise that was left unfulfilled
Maria Andreeva, one of the core members of Puig Damoy, has been working as a pediatrician, but her husband, who was a masseuse, mobilized her in October. She is currently taking a leave of absence from work to raise her two-year-old daughter.
Maria Andreeva (pediatrician)
When my husband told me that the summons had arrived, I was shocked as if I had been punched in the pit of the stomach, and I stared at it in a daze.
For me, it felt like I was holding the news of a death in battle in my hands. I have no recollection of what I did at that time. All I remember is crying so hard.
Her husband said, ``Don't worry, it won't be long.The draft office told me it would be six months at most.''
I couldn't even say to him, "Do you really believe that?"
Ksenia Walabiyova works as a manager at a pizza shop.
Her husband, who worked in a state-run company, had a heart condition, but she was mobilized two years ago. This year, she began to seriously participate in the activities of "Puchi Damoi".
Ksenia Valabiyova (Pizza Manager)
My relationship with him is probably the happiest of my life. I miss him so much. He is a very hard worker and a very sociable person.
I was at work when he called me on October 3rd two years ago. That day was my birthday.
He said, ``You'll be mobilized tomorrow morning. You have to go to the draft office at 6 a.m.'' Just then, my colleagues brought a cake for me and I just started crying.
Everyone didn't know what was going on. My life stopped.
Antonina Saltykova's fiancé, who proposed to her in September, moved in the following month.
He says he is now assigned to an assault force.
Antonina Saltykova (Sewing Business)
He told me every day: ``You're going to be my wife. You should move in with me.''
It was October 6th, two years ago, when he received the summons. At the draft office, he was told, ``Don't worry. If you have a chronic illness, you will be examined by a military medical board at the training base. This is just military training, and you will not be sent anywhere.'' Ta.
But then he learned from him that he had been assigned to a shock force. It was essentially a call to say goodbye to me. We had everything destroyed. All my dreams were shattered.
After he called me in tears and said, ``Please, get me out of here,'' I realized that if I didn't speak up, I couldn't move forward.
“Puig Damoi” Women who stood up
Every weekend, women lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a memorial to soldiers who died in World War II, in protest against the Putin regime that mobilized them.
This initiative was started in Russia, where anti-war activities have been thoroughly suppressed, to avoid being cracked down by the authorities.
It is said that it is also a place where we support each other.
Maria Andreeva:
First of all, I would like to point out that all wars are caused by the miscalculation and fault of diplomats and politicians. This is a tragedy committed by them, but ordinary people are losing their lives in their place.
Our mobilized soldiers are ordinary citizens. We demand the return of those mobilized in the fall of 2022. In principle, we ask that civilians not be mobilized.
Ksenia Valabiyova
has been writing a petition to prevent mobilized soldiers from having to spend their lives on the battlefield, but it has come to a dead end. Many families have been destroyed and children are growing up without fathers.
For me, Puchi Damoi is a huge community of women who support each other.
We have similar feelings and are similarly crushed. We are trying to reach out to the country together.
Antonina Saltykova:
I think the more people who know about it (the reality of mobilization) and the more people who oppose it, the more likely it is that some sort of movement will start. At least then we can send a warning to those who have not yet mobilized.
Recently, something very happy happened. When she commented on a post on Telegram, she was asked, ``Excuse me, are you Antonina from Puig Damoy?''
She said, "Yes," and she said, "I respect you. You guys are doing the right thing." She said that person was a mobilized soldier.
Opposing “Putin’s war”
In late November last year, Puig Damoi released a manifesto calling for a complete demobilization. In his ``Call to the People,'' he declared that ``mobilization was a terrible mistake.''
Furthermore, in a post in December, he urged President Putin to ``end the special military operation and come to the negotiating table...or go to the front lines and die.''
On the other hand, women also talked about the difficulty of becoming a monolithic figure in the anti-war movement.
Maria Andreeva
We must grow by increasing the participation of families of mobilized soldiers.
However, as soon as we criticize (the government) or advocate something and put ourselves on the side of the opposition, the number of human rights activists and anti-war activists who become members increases, and we become criminals. This will lead to a slide towards punishable extremism.
If we do that, the families of the mobilized soldiers who have become our members will be separated from us in the blink of an eye. We have not yet found an answer to what should be done in these situations.
Ksenia Walabiyova
Everyone's fear is different. We also talked about the fact that taking an overtly anti-war stance would result in jail time or heavy fines.
Increasing pressure from authorities
As women openly criticize the military invasion on social media, pressure from authorities is increasing.
In mid-January, Andreeva was briefly taken away by the police and her activities were disrupted.
Maria Andreeva:
In early December last year, all the women we work with were identified. My husband was called directly to the division commander and asked to keep me quiet.
She was shown a picture of me and said, ``Do you know her?'' ``Yes, she is my wife.'' ``Then tell your wife what she should do.''
I knew I couldn't stay silent if they were going to act like this. Because if I keep quiet, I don't know what my husband will do.
The only thing left is to give interviews to foreign media in order to help them understand Russia's reality. But so far, few women understand that going public is for their own safety.
Honestly, it's scary. However, I am more afraid of facing my conscience and realizing that I did nothing.
And what's even scarier is that her daughter will keep asking her, "What did your mother do?" for the rest of her life.
Antonina Saltykova
I have already been called three times.
The first time was from the district police station and the other two were from the counter-extremism bureau. They suspect me of being an extremist. This is reminiscent of the purges of the Stalin era.
At that time, my grandfather was purged. What's happening now is exactly the same from my perspective.
There's no point in being scared anymore. My fiancé has already been placed in the assault forces. Only the worst outcome awaits.
I also have an adult son. I don't want my son to go to war. What can we be afraid of? I'm worried about my fiancé and son. This is my struggle.
Loneliness in the subway: Russian society's indifference
Although the number of subscribers to the SNS channel has increased to approximately 66,000 people, "Puch Damoy" has not become a movement that spreads throughout Russian society.
The women cited lack of understanding, apathy, and fear of authorities as contributing factors.
Ksenia Valabiyova,
the so-called "super patriots", are lying at home on their sofas and saying things like, ``It's their fault (the mobilized people) for not hiding. It's not my fault.'' You are insulting us by writing this comment.
Some people live normally, go to work, and celebrate New Year's and other holidays as usual. Sometimes when I get on the subway, I think, ``Wow, there are so many men there,'' and I think about my husband.
True, society does remember the war, but only when there is shooting in Belgorod Oblast (in western Russia, bordering Ukraine) or when drones fly into Moscow.
I also have young colleagues, and for them war is a distant event. It's sad that no one can understand the meaning of politics until it affects them.
Antonina Saltykova
I have given interviews many times, for example in cafes. I tear up, get angry, or smile nervously, while everyone around me sits and eats normally.
They look so peaceful, as if they are living in paradise. Everything is fine. It's none of their business.
I also have friends who fully support special military operations. They believe what they have been told, what has been drilled into their heads over and over again.
They think the mobilized soldiers are living a wonderful life over there. There's a bath, a mobile laundry, food is served, and you can get 8 hours of sleep without any problems.
And thanks to their salaries, we have enough money to bathe and go to beauty salons. So I want people to know the truth.
Thoughts on the changing government
Andreeva, who is in her early 30s, and Valabiyova said that they had not been supporters of President Putin for a long time and that they were too busy with their studies and work to pay attention to politics, while Saltykova, who is older, said that she had not been a supporter of President Putin. He talked about his change in thinking about President Putin.
Antonina Saltykova:
We were delighted when the current President (Putin) replaced Mr. Yeltsin. And in fact Russia has developed. It really evolved.
My generation, people in their 40s and 50s, are confused. We cannot understand what is happening now.
The reason why we believed (the regime) when the mobilization took place is because everything was good before. For us, it has become natural to trust the government.
My fiancé said, ``It feels like we're being shipped off to be disposed of.'' It was very scary for me that Russians would destroy fellow Russians.
My perspective, my opinion has changed a lot. Anger was born. Instead of fear for my life, I felt anger. I am driven by hatred and anger.
Beyond “Give me back my husband”
"Puchi Damoi" began with a plea for the return of her husband and son.
We asked them about their determination and how they plan to continue their activities in the future.
Maria Andreeva
I consider myself a patriot. But she is a different patriot than what is being foisted on us.
Military nationalism is now enforced in our country. Some kind of unknown self-sacrifice is required.
You must love your homeland so much that you are willing to die for it.
I oppose this heinous nationalism.
Ksenia Valabiyova:
I would like to spread this movement into society as a political movement.
We have a big project and we have to find the time and unite women for it. Because you can't fight alone on the battlefield.
We run a YouTube channel where we feature women and show them that they are real.
By making comments and responding to interviews, we let society know how the country treats us.
Antonina Saltykova
I don't think of Puig Damoy as a community only for the wives of mobilized soldiers.
It's just that most of the members are like that. Some of them are wives of contract soldiers, and others have no connection with mobilized soldiers. Everyone is welcome.
The most important thing is to understand what is happening and how dangerous it is to society.
If we don't open our eyes and do something now, if we don't do something, we're either going to be complacent and live our lives gagged, following some rules, or we're going to attack our own family and friends. You should understand that you will be offering it to the troops.
Interview postscript
They are ordinary citizens, not politicians or activists.
Moreover, her husband and lover are mobilized soldiers, risking their lives for the regime's cause. That is why the Putin administration, which is tightening its control over speech, is unlikely to resort to harsh measures that would provoke a backlash from public opinion.
On the other hand, as the women say, only a small number of people raise their voices to protest unless someone close to them is sent to war.
A terrorist attack occurred in Moscow in March this year, killing more than 140 people, and there is a sense of tension, with the number of police vehicles increasing for security and enforcement. For many people whose top priority is to maintain their current lifestyles, it may be difficult to join their activities at the risk of attracting attention from the authorities.
However, if in the future, for example, additional mobilization takes place, and the sense of crisis that war is looming closer to the daily lives of citizens spreads, these women may become the receptacle for voices of opposition to war. There may be.
While many Russian dissidents have fled the country, women continue to raise their voices in Russia.
For the Putin administration, their presence is a potential threat that could suddenly expand the protest movement, even if it is small now, and it is expected that the pressure will increase.
(Broadcast on April 2nd on Close Up Gendai)