Russia's draft pressure intensifies as men report forced roundups and intimidation

Sasha, a 26-year-old from Orenburg with a Category V military ID, says he now rarely leaves home and carries pepper spray after hearing of draft pressure. In Penza, footage posted online shows men in civilian clothes dragging eligible men into cars, with distressed women trying to stop them, while officials argue the individuals are already mobilised and accuse video-sharers of spreading falsehoods. The Conscientious Objectors Movement claims recruiters target drug addicts, the mentally ill, debtors and migrants, using threats such as planted drugs to force contracts.

Senior analyst Oleg Ignatov views the Penza incidents as isolated quota-filling efforts rather than a coordinated national campaign. Nonetheless, analysts expect mobilisation to resume before winter, especially as Russia plans intensified attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Declining voluntary enlistments and a shrinking recruitment pool have pushed the Kremlin to consider coercive tactics, raising concerns for Russian citizens and regional stability.