Putin’s bluff is called and the mask of ‘special’ has fallen away from the operational war being engaged in Ukraine. Russia had thought that Ukraine was the capital asset up for grabs to be wrestled from the West.
Events at the Sino-Eurasian summit in Uzbekistan mid-September showed that Putin’s failures have put Russian capital on the menu too. Putin is now that most dangerous beast, a tyrant in a hurry.
As Russia desperately announces referenda and partial mobilisation to stay in control through a strategy of momentum, we risk the tragedy of ‘the beginning’ being a side show by comparison. Bluff though is exposed and war it unambiguously is.
Resistance to the call up has been nationwide, visible and significant despite statewide repression and severe penalties. Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed that some protesters are being punished by being issued with, and forced to sign on camera, call up papers in detention and released to report for active service.
Peskov’s son was pranked by a satirical pro-war radio station pretending to be a recruitment centre issuing him his call-up papers – he explained whose son he was and that he would “obviously not” serve in the Ukraine. Another bluff called! Dying for the rich and their state is for the poor. Conscription, like the war, is being deployed as an active attack on our class!
Around 1500 have so far been arrested protesting, as flights out of the country to the few available visa free destinations sell out. 500,000 Russians have left since March though borders are now slamming shut. Many men trying to leave are being examined for eligibility for enlistment and turned back or detained.
The state claims this call up is limited, only applicable to active reservists and military specialisms. The signed legislation however contains no such stipulation and regions will be required to fill quotas.
The now published in exile opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta alleges that the stipulated target of 300,000 is again a bluff, hiding a classified target in the legislation of 1 million. Whoever had their head in the sand before Putin’s conscription speech is wide awake now leaving him with few cards left to play.
The West has been well ahead in its war planning. No military eligible male between the ages of 18-60 has been allowed to leave Ukraine since February 24th. It’s target of a million workers in uniform to defend millionaire Zelensky’s oligarchs is already met. With NATO’s arms depots pouring in, the results are showing too.
Putin’s last gambit is claiming the brutally occupied eastern Ukraine as sovereign Russian territory following rigged plebiscites and annexation. The new military intake won’t be deployable until spring, following a pause in offensives during the winter freeze. In the interim Putin again rattles his nuclear saber.
Western capital’s brinkmanship claim’s the threat it real, though survivable. NATO’s retired General Petraeus claims the alliance “wouldn’t even have to resort to nuclear weapons, we could simply take out any Russian force of size or substance in Ukraine”.
Both sides are fudging their way to nuclear showdown as capitalisms rival blocs paint each other into a corner. The fallout could be more radioactive than riches galore for either side.
We, the working class and the collateral or intended damage of their fight over resources don’t have bunkers. We only have our labour and our solidarity.
Resistance to militarisation abroad and class struggle at home are our necessary weapons against the existential threat of mass destruction. As a popular social media meme puts it: “whatever things you think good Germans should have been doing in 1933, start doing them now!”. Solidarity with the war resisters! Oppose war abroad and escalate the class struggle at home! No war but the class war – by any means necessary!
AnarCom Network 