Russia has been taking the global spotlight for all the wrong reasons. By waging war on Ukraine, Russia’s invasion has been horrific. As per Bloomberg, Russia launched fresh air strikes to hit more infrastructure targets.
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The war started on February24 seems unending. And more issues arose when Russia issued Putin’s September 21 partial mobilization decree. According to the decree, citizens who are otherwise ineligible for military services are urged to fight for Russia. Students, the elderly, and the injured have been asked to partake in the war against Ukraine.
Amidst all this chaos, Russia’s Vyacheslav Volodin, who is considered a potential Putin successor, had a lot to say about the current conditions.
Who is Volodin?
Volodin has been popular in Russian politics over the past many years. He is the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament. He is a former aide to Vladimir Putin and a part of his inner circle. He is also considered as Putin’s potential successor.
As per The Week, there is another primary reason for Volodin being a potential successor. He controls the ‘rubberstamp legislature', which is integral for the legitimization of any new leader that may come.
What is his current issue in hand?
According to Volodin, in a report by Newsweek, President Putin’s partial mobilization decree resulted in 370000 Russian citizens fleeing the country. Citizens have fled to neighboring countries like Georgia, Finland and Mongolia. Volodin has stated that the citizens who fled the draft are performing acts of ‘betrayal’ on Russia.
What did Volodin say to the fleeing Russians?
After calling the fleeing of Russians as ‘an act of betrayal’, Volodin didn’t stop there. He used his Telegram account to convey that the people who fled have abandoned their country and family and would one day regret their act. And that by the time they return to Russia, it will be ‘too late’ for them. He wrote:
Today, many are discussing how many people left the country. To Kazakhstan, Georgia, Mongolia, other states. In their homeland, which they abandoned, they still have parents, grandparents, relatives. Their act is a betrayal of the country.In the future, many will regret this.The realization of the mistake upon returning to Russia will definitely come, but it will be too late.
Sources used:
- The Week: 'Who are the Kremlin insiders jostling to replace Putin'
- Newsweek: 'Potential Putin Successor Slams 'Betrayal' of Russians Who Fled Draft'
- Bloomberg: 'Ukraine Latest: Russia Launches More Strikes; Biden Pledges Help'
- Viacheslav Volodin, Telegram
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