This week, Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin announced the latest development of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine: a “partial mobilization” of Russians drafted into the conflict. While Russia’s defense minister stated that 300,000 citizens, all with previous military experience, would be mobilized, reports and on-the-ground footage suggest that not only is the number much greater but also that average civilians with no prior military experience are being drafted into service.
This mobilization marks the latest development in the ongoing conflict, which has significantly impacted the global theatre since Putin invaded Ukraine in February of this year, escalating the Russo-Ukrainian War (ongoing since 2014) yet again. Global leaders and civilians alike have decried Russian aggression and outspokenly supported Ukraine, with President Biden describing Russia on Wednesday as “shamelessly violat[ing] the core tenets of the United Nations charter.”
Much like the war itself, this draft has met with mixed reactions across Russia. NPR reports that for some, the call-up is a cause for celebration, while others are leaving the country en masse, backing up border crossings and airports that have routes to nearly all adjacent, visa-free countries. Meanwhile, the BBC reports that many draftees are already looking for exemptions or, in worst-case scenarios, drastic ways to avoid being sent to the front.
Naturally, though, misinformation – both intentional and otherwise – is being propagated across social media worldwide. These border crossings are one major source of such misinformation, with old videos of border backups reaching high levels of traffic on Twitter. Authorities, like the Finnish border patrol itself, are working to share accurate information instead:
Situation at Finland's borders has not changed with the announcement of Russian moilization. There are videos circulating on social media, at least some of which have already been filmed before and now taken out of context. There is incorrect information in circulation.
— Rajavartiolaitos (@rajavartijat) September 21, 2022
Still, both propaganda and valid discussions are rampant within the more than 3.22 million mentions of Russia alone since midnight on September 20, the day before Putin made his mobilization announcement. One Twitter user observes that the brunt of the draftees are from ethnic minorities and rural exclaves, such as towns across Siberia and the southern borders.
Everything I’ve seen on this mobilization so far points to Yakutia, Saha, Buryatia, Dagestan, Chechnya being mobilized in disproportionately large numbers. If this bears out, no question this is a systematic effort to deploy Russia’s ethnic minorities as cannon fodder.
— Bakhti Nishanov (@b_nishanov) September 22, 2022
Additionally, news reports are coming from Ukraine stating that there are now ongoing staged referendums, in which armed Russian soldiers are forcing Ukrainian citizens to “vote” on becoming part of Russia. Obviously, there is no freedom of choice in such a vote, and many locations that are initially being targeted by these referendums have seen large volumes of refugees fleeing, primarily along the Ukraine’s eastern border with Russia.
my family was just forced to vote at gunpoint in russian cosplay of a “referendum” in southern ukraine:
– they come to your house
– you have to openly tick the box for being annexed by russia (or for staying with ukraine if you feel suicidal)
– all while armed gunmen watch you— вареничок.eristavi (@maksymeristavi) September 23, 2022
The global sentiment of news and social media toward Russia is overwhelmingly negative, with more than 85.7% of the more than 3.2 million mentions being negatively coded. Even within Russia, nearly just as much of the content is negative, with 84.2% of 16.57K mentions returning negative sentiment.
As the situation continues to develop, dialogue around the invasion in traditional and digital news media will also continue to grow, as other countries determine what to do in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression.
Author: Kayleigh Jackson
