“They will make sure only Russians and Ukrainians die on the battlefield”
Russians, who sang the national anthem with Vladimir Putin at the Red Square, believe their country is fighting NATO in Ukraine. But the real war still seems like a distant reality for many.
“Well, my dear ones, all the best, stay healthy, let this war end. I am 87 now, my life has passed, but you have to raise children. This America will never leave our lands until it destroys us completely. God bless, my dears,” a little hunched grandma was telling a bunch of younger fellow travellers as our train arrived in Moscow on the morning of September, 30.
At 8.30 am Moscow metro was rather empty. On any other working day, one would have to skip a couple of trains before getting in as he travels to work. The streets in the center were empty, too, with few well dressed people rushing to their offices. “It has been this way since mobilization was declared,” barista told me as I’m waiting for my large americano.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization in his most-awaited address to the nation in September 21, after the Russian army faced its first humiliating retreat in the eight-month long standoff with Ukraine, that it still calls a “special military operation”.
Another much-anticipate speech was expected this Friday, followed by a ceremony of Putin signing treaties with leaders of four Ukrainian territories on joining Russia. Two of them, Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, declared independence from Ukraine back in 2014 (few states recognize their independence in the world, including Russia). Parts of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions were captured by the Russian military in March 2022.
Twitter, which is banned in Russia, was boiling with speculations whether Putin will announce a full fledged war or a nuclear strike, or whether he will call for a ceasefire that will Ukrainians will breach, allowing Moscow to declare a war.
The accession of four regions (or annexation, as most nations call it) was happening against a backdrop of another humiliating retreat — from Krasny Liman, in Donetsk region of Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the troops were withdrawn only on Saturday afternoon. Some analysts in Russia claimed the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost over 1000 (both dead and wounded) in this advance, while the ratio in this pocket looked like 12000 Ukrainian troops as against 4000-5000 Russian troops. Giving up Liman creates risks for Lisichansk and Severodonetsk, two strategic cities that Russian forces captured in June. However, unlike in the northern Kharkiv region, this time Russia is believed to be able to pull up reserves and stabilize the frontline.
People with leaflets
Battlefield hardships seem to be quite a distant reality for people who attended the Red Square concert in support of new regions joining Russia. The air was filled with positive vibes, sunny weather and upcoming weekend added up to the cheerful mood. Entries to the Red Square were blocked — people had to pass through multiple security checks. All entry points, except just one, that required a lengthy walk, were reserved for people carrying special leaflets.
The leaflets were distributed at work places, I learned. I quickly spotted a young man distributing leaflets to his group and asked for two, for me and my foreign journalist colleague. The man didn't hesitate a moment. He looked like he would be happy to give away all of it. Groups of people, large and small, led by supervisors, are flowing towards the entry gates. From conversations in the crowd I realize many were driven to Red Square by buses.
In the queue to one of the entry points people already make plans for escape: enter Red Square, take a few pictures, send it to the work chat and leave immediately. “We won’t be able to leave if we go closer to the stage, so we need to remain closer to the exit,” says woman surrounded by five men in business suits.
The concert kicks off at 6pm, and I see many people leaving in just 30 minutes. It is not surprising given that many of them were asked to gather at 1pm, and no water or food were allowed beyond checkpoints.
“I am happy it's over and we can finally go home,” Anna, a state-owned bank employee, tells me as she and her colleague order coffee and snacks in a nearby coffee shop. The tickets were disseminated at the office and it was mandatory to attend, they say.
Back at the Red Square, people continue singing songs and waiving flags. Not many of them would easily admit they didn’t come here voluntarily. Many simply refuse answering any questions. This doesn’t come as a surprise for any reporter covering Russia from within Russia since February 24. People are too scared to speak up, particularly if they are against the “special military operation”, as they may face harsh prison terms.
“I have come here voluntarily to celebrate the historic event, because I am a patriot of my country,” Dmitry, in his 60s, tells me. “I am happy that we could liberate people in Ukraine, our brothers who were fooled by Kyiv regime”.
Home sweet home
“Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye, Kherson. The choice is made. Together, forever”, reads the banner over the stage that is hosting Russia’s top celebrities, excluding some regulars, like pop diva Alla Pugacheva, who recently criticized the war. Songs resonate with the crowd, people of all ages singing “Kombat” (Russian standard military abbreviation for "Commander of Battalion") along with seasoned but still popular “Lyube” rock band.
Lilya, a woman in her 50s, sings too, waving a huge Russian flag trying not to look tired. She served in the armed forces, and came here happily to support "Russians who are finally back home”.
“People in Donetsk and Luhansk happened to be a part of Ukraine by mistake, no one asked them during the USSR collapse,” she believes. When asked if the same is true, in her opinion, for Kherson and Zaporoshye, she didn’t have a firm answer. “I don’t know about them, I am here for DPR and LPR”.
She also couldn’t answer if she feared the consequences — a larger, bloodeir war, or even a possible nuclear strike. “What matters is that people should get better lives. And with Russia they will. I visited Crimea a long time back as a student and then again, before it became Russian in 2014. I felt as if I was back in the USSR, nothing had changed there, there was no development. And now there is,” she said.
And then came Vladimir Putin. He gave an energetic speech, in which he called the events of that day a triumph of “truth and justice”.
Speaking of people of Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson, who made their choice and stood in the line to the voting center even when it was shelled by Ukrainian missiles, he said “for decades, attempts have been made to erase their historical consciousness, to destroy their traditions, to forbid them to speak their native language, to ban culture – nothing has succeeded. These people carried the love of their historical homeland in their hearts and passed it on to their children. And that's why we say: Russia not only opens the doors of our home for our brothers and sisters – it opens its heart to them. Welcome home!”
Putin then called on the crowd to “send a signal of support, respect and admiration” to those soldiers in the battlefield who heroically defend people's choice: “Take a deep breath, and at my command, on the coun of''three `.... One, two, three! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!”
“We have become stronger because we are together. The truth is behind us, and in truth there is strength, which means victory! Victory will be ours!” Putin, usually reserved, shouted into the crowd.
Then came the national anthem that the Russian leader sang along with the people. Many Russians admit they haven’t yet learned the new words of the anthem — they rather remember the words of the Soviet one (Russia didn’t really have its own anthem since the collapse of the Soviet Union till 2000, when Putin came to power. Eventually, the Soviet anthem with updated lyrics was adopted).
But then came the reality. With the last chord of the anthem, people rolled up the flags and rushed to the exit gates while the host was screaming into the microphone “this is now an anthem of Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson, the anthem of 7 million people!” People were leaving so quickly as if they all were instructed that they are free once the anthem part is done.
Over 180,000 people gathered at the Red Square that night. Little less than the number of people, mainly men, who crossed the borders with neighbouring countries such as Kazakhstan, Georgia, Mongolia, Finland, in the past two weeks, running away from mobilization (estimates vary from 200,000 to 260,000).
It took over eight month for many Russians, leaving thousands of kilometers from Donbass or Crimea, to get a feeling that the real war is much closer than they thought. Mobilization played a key role. Suddenly, people in the streets and in coffee shops discuss the soared prices for body armor or why tourniquets have disappeared from the medical stores (many, as I learn from such conversations, have no idea what tourniquets are used for).
But many in Russia, including those who gathered at the Red Square on the “historic day”, seem to still cherish a thought that the real war, where people die, where limbs are ripped off (and that’s when tourniquet), is something “not about them”.
“I have been to DPR as a volunteer, carrying humanitarian aid. I have seen war. That’s why I am here,” a young man who attended the concert with his girlfriend tells me. When asked if he will go and fight if he is mobilized, he said he is a masters student and is not “subject to mobilization”.
Patriot Dmitry, too, doesn’t seem to show any fear of possible escalation at the battlefield, but for a different reason. “It does not matter how NATO will now respond [to Russia’s latest move to formally annex four regions]. We are at war with NATO already. But they will never fight us directly, even if Ukraine joins [the bloc]. They will fight, using Ukrainians as meat. They will make sure only Russians and Ukrainians die on the battlefield”.