TUESDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2022, 22:37
In anticipation of a speech by dictator Vladimir Putin, which did not take place as expected on 20 September, Russians began to actively search up how to leave the country and how to defer army service.
Source: Telegram channels Mozhem obiasnit (We can explain) and Meduza
Details: Google searches for the phrase “How to leave Russia” reached a peak on 20 September.
This happened amid speculation about forthcoming mobilisation in the Russian Federation and preparations for unlawful “referendums” in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
The searches peaked at 18:00, according to Google Trends data.
Shortly before this, reports had been circulating that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu would make speeches that evening.
People living in the Khabarovsk region, which borders China, were the most interested in the question of emigration.
There was an upsurge of interest among Russians in the issue of mobilisation this Tuesday. But the level of interest is lower than it was in May (when it was the subject of intense debate in the run-up to Victory Day). Residents of Belgorod Oblast were the most intensely interested in it.
Russians started googling how to defer military service. The peak was at 13:00, after the first posts about mobilisation came up.
On the afternoon of 20 September, the Russian State Duma introduced the concepts of “mobilisation” and “wartime” into the Criminal Code, and it also approved amendments on liability for desertion during mobilisation or wartime.
Speeches by Putin and Shoigu were expected to be broadcast this evening – but they were first rescheduled, then postponed. According to Russian propagandists’ posts, they have been moved to 21 September.
This is all happening in light of the rapid preparations underway for a “vote” on the annexation of new territories: the occupiers are going to hold pseudo-referendums on the accession of the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts to Russia between 23 and 27 September.
As expected, these unlawful “referendums” could untie Russia’s hands, because it will then be able to call Ukraine’s counteroffensive an attack on its territories and announce open mobilisation in the Russian Federation.
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