Russian women have expressed concern for the hundreds of thousands of men Vladimir Putin is ordering to fight in the war.
The President is facing anger and defiance after he ordered a 300,000-strong military call up to save his failing war in Ukraine.
Russia showcased its military scaling up with footage of a low-altitude assault on its neighbour by Su-25 attack aircraft.
But a new word was invented to describe the hell Putin has unleashed - ‘Mogilisation', from the Russian word ‘Могила’ [Mogila] - or grave, the expected fate awaiting thousands drafted into the army.
“I am super worried for my young male friends and my boyfriend,” said one woman, 28, from a city thousands of miles east of the Kremlin where the Russian president issued his fateful TV call-up.
Lilianna D demanded: “I recommend mobilising the entire Duma [parliament] and their families first of all.
“And let people see how loyal they are.“
Cheerful Volunteer echoed this saying: “Why is an MP better than a peasant?
“If I go to the front, I want to see both an MP and his children next to me.”
Helen raged: “No-one has attacked us to justify mobilising our men.”
One man posted: “I got a phone call from the military enlistment office today - they are calling in for training.”
Many web commenters said that the plans for the mobilisation were in place even before Putin’s call.
Maksim Zhitnikov wrote: “They told our shift today to bring passports, driving licenses, and military IDs. Coincidence?”
Andrey Shipilov, a Cyprus-based Russian journalist, posted: “A friend from Russia has just messaged…an entire institute’s [graduates], all reserve officers, have already been called up this morning”.
There was palpable fear and also determined opposition from wives and mothers over the fate of their men under Putin’s new edict.
Svetlana A, 35, said: “I am torn apart by the stupidity of this.”
Olga P, 25, said: “I am sick with worry over my husband being taken from me and our baby and being forced to fight against Ukraine where his mother, and grandmother lives.”
“I'm really scared,” said an anonymous user.
“What will happen to our children, husbands, fathers?
“Why is their fate decided by people who themselves are not subject to any mobilisation?”
Ilona R, 33, (name changed): “Let's see how they manage to do it...
“They won't have enough resources to force [men to serve].
“There will be refuseniks.
“Everyone will have to go on trial. That will require so much effort to make it impossible.”
Tamara D, 60, declared: “Our motherland needs to be defended when it is attacked.
“We have not been attacked.
“Just imagine what kind of nonsense these patriots have in their heads.
“They introduced criminal liability because they understand no-one will go there voluntarily.”
Another post read: “The geriatrics [in the Kremlin] are starting a mess, and the young should fight.
“So the dilemma is either two years [in jail] for evasion or two metres underground for which ‘the motherland will not forget you’.”
Russian Bear Z said: “They should have announced mobilisation sooner.
“Half a year has passed, a lot of people fled, and not just regular guys, but specialists in all areas.”
A commenter Guru: “Why is a referendum being held in the annexed territories, but no referendum is being held in Russia?
“Do the current population of Russia want the entry of new lands and regions and the consequences of defending them?”
This comes after women in Chechnya wrote an appeal to the leader of the region - fanatical Putin supporter Ramzan Kadyrov - begging that no more men were sent to the front.
The appeal said: ‘We ask you to leave our men, our brothers, our children at home.
“Many of them are already crippled, many died in this war.
“If you don't take care of us today, our hearts will cry.
“There are so many of them dying there, and yet they have families, small children….
“Do not send them to war.”
A scheduled rally by the woman was cancelled after a huge law enforcement turnout and threats to detain any protesters.
The mobilisation and nuclear threat comes as a major victory for hardliners among Putin’s vocal propagandists, like RT head Margarita Simonyan.
For weeks they have been demanding a tough fightback against Ukraine and the West.
Ominously, she said ahead of the announcement: “Judging by what is happening and what is about to happen, this week marks either the eve of our imminent victory or the eve of nuclear war,” she posted.
“I can't see any third way.”
The pro-war Copper Horn Z TG channel said: “Today is a truly historic day….
“We will find out who has pride, will and courage…
The announcement of partial mobilisation is a predictable step that everyone has been waiting for and dreading at the same time.
“Now it will be seen — which of them is a verbiage, and who is a real citizen of their country.
“Our long peaceful and well-fed life is over. Transfer your brains to a new reality.”
