Russia Intensifies Raids to Recruit More Chechens for the Frontlines Following Attack on Military Convoy

After a Russian National Guard convoy was ambushed near the village of Petropavlovskaya in Chechnya’s Grozny district on October 24, resulting in one officer killed and another injured, Russian police forces launched extensive “sweeps” in nearby towns.

Days after the incident, these operations intensified, with widespread detentions and home inspections, reported the Russian Memorial Human Rights Defense Center on November 4.

The Russian National Guard and police officers conducted house-to-house checks across multiple villages near Petropavlovskaya, verifying residents' IDs, and vehicle registration, and searching for unregistered individuals on October 26.

Reports indicate that men deemed eligible for military deployment were taken to police stations, and their phones searched for any trace of engagement with banned Telegram channels.

Detainees were allegedly given a stark choice: enlist to fight in Ukraine or face criminal charges. In one station alone, 20 detainees were kept reportedly.

Activists also report hundreds more detained across Chechnya following the “sweeps,” though there is little information on their fate.

Families of detainees are reluctant to speak publicly, fearing repercussions, while freed individuals have reportedly been too intimidated to seek help from rights organizations.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Who Are the “TikTok Soldiers” Using Occupied Ukrainian Cities As Their Backdrop?

Aug 20, 2024 17:57

On October 31, police conducted additional raids in the town of Argun, reportedly “scouting potential targets,” residents said.

The next day, officers came to the home of 42-year-old Rizvan Batyrov, a man with a disability, and attempted to detain him. When his elderly mother intervened, Batyrov managed to resist and avoid arrest as neighbors gathered.

Hours later, however, a larger armed group of police surrounded his home, forcibly taking him away.

Despite his disability, volunteers confirmed that Batyrov was previously offered a police position, though he remains in custody as of now, and his family has been unable to gain any information about his condition.

Earlier, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, intended to deploy 84,000 residents from the republic to ongoing Russia’s war against Ukraine.