In Penza and several towns in the Penza region, men are being detained on the streets and coerced into signing contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry, according to witness accounts and relatives cited by independent outlets Novaya Gazeta Europe and 7×7.
Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that during a sweep late last week, men were stopped on the streets, put onto buses, and taken to military enlistment offices. The raids involved not only police but also unidentified individuals in military uniform. The publication noted that the scenario mirrors how Russian propaganda describes mobilization in Ukraine.
According to 7×7, the raids have been ongoing for a week. Detainees are being taken directly from public transport stops and stores. In some cases, people were lured out of their apartments. Detainees have their mobile phones confiscated and are pressured to sign contracts.
One witness told 7×7 that people in camouflage, who did not sound like police officers, broke into his stairwell, kicked down the door of an apartment on the floor above where two brothers live, and took them away. The witness said one of the brothers later called relatives from a military enlistment office and reported that he was being forced to sign a contract.
Another Penza resident said people in camouflage were seen tearing down stickers with the phone number of a hotline offering help to refuse signing a contract. The stickers had been put up around the city by anonymous activists.
Relatives of detainees report that it is nearly impossible to find them or obtain information about their whereabouts — people are simply taken to an unknown location. According to 7×7, after the raids, some men have stopped going outside for fear of detention, and doors in buildings near military enlistment offices are being boarded up.
After the story gained attention in independent media, authorities in the Penza region launched a check into the information about the raids. Official bodies have not yet reported the results.