Mobilization crisis: families demand the return of military personnel

In the fall of 2023, discontent among the families of those mobilized increased. After more than a year of men's participation in combat, many wives and mothers began to openly protest against the uncertainty of their terms of service. In November, mass petitions appeared throughout the country demanding rotation, leave, or the full return of those mobilized. Several groups of women began recording video messages criticizing the lack of clear deadlines and difficult conditions. Despite the ban on public events, spontaneous gatherings took place in some cities, which were quickly dispersed by the police. People were warned against “discrediting the army,” which increased tension. At the same time, military authorities stated that the rotation was happening “gradually,” but the families did not see any changes. Against the backdrop of growing losses and the deterioration of the psychological state of military personnel, public pressure intensified. Sociologists noted that the topic of mobilization has become the most painful issue for many Russian regions - especially those where military personnel were mobilized the most. November 2023 was the moment when fear gave way to disappointment. People who were in uncertainty a year ago now began to demand specifics, and it became more difficult for the state to ignore such requests. For the first time, public discontent went beyond online forums - it became part of the everyday reality of millions of families.