'Real Life Full Metal Jacket': Draft Officer Shot Amid Russian Anger Over Conscription https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/26/we-arent-going-war-draft-office... https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/gunman-detained-after-shooting-draft-of... https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/26/russian-enlistment-officer-shot-re... https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/26/no-to-war-anger-over-troop-conscrip... https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1574311822831779840 https://twitter.com/ryangrim/status/1574363309125636097 https://meduza.io/en/news/2022/09/26/unwilling-recruit-set-himself-on-fire-i... https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/21/rights-group-says-over-1100-rus... https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-moscow-st-petersburg-volunte... https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/26/total-chaos-russian-mobilization-e... The head of a military draft office in the Russian town of Ust-Ilimsk was being treated for injuries on Monday after being shot by a gunman who—like more than 1,000 people who have been arrested for protesting in recent days—was reportedly angry over President Vladimir Putin's recent military conscription announcement. Reuters reported that the gunman, who was detained, identified himself as Ruslan Zinin, age 25. According to The Moscow Times, Zinin was "very upset" that his best friend, who has no military experience, "received draft papers despite the authorities' pledge to recruit strictly experienced reservists." An activist holds an anti-war poster and shouts a slogan during rally in Moscow on September 21, 2022. Getty Images The gunman entered the recruitment office in Irkutsk and said, "No one will go fight," according to Al Jazeera, before opening fire. Visegrad24 reported that he said, "We aren't going to war, we are all going home." The attack on the local draft office came days after Putin announced a "partial mobilization" of about 300,000 Russians who will be called up to fight the war in Ukraine. Warning: the following video is disturbing... Jesus, some real life Full Metal Jacket, with a recruitment officer being shot. Warning if you watch this video (which probably won’t be up long) https://t.co/yXuDfpacq6 — Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) September 26, 2022 Putin told the public that "only those citizens will be drafted to military service who are currently in the reserve and first of all those who have served in the army, who have certain professions and have necessary experience," but there have been several reports from across the country of people with no experience being called up to join the invasion of Ukraine. A Kremlin spokesperson claimed Monday that those draft notices have been sent in error. Reuters reported that several draft offices have been attacked since Putin's announcement last week. In the city of Ryazan, southeast of Moscow, a man reportedly attempted to set himself on fire at a bus station on Sunday, saying he did not want to go to war. More than 1,100 Russians were arrested for protesting the war and the conscription plan following Putin's announcement, and the number has grown since then. Tens of thousands of people who are of conscription age have attempted to flee the country in recent days, crossing borders to Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. The government could close its borders to people eligible for the mobilization as soon as Wednesday, according to the Times. As he announced the mobilization, Putin suggested Russian forces already in Ukraine are struggling to counter the military aid supplied by the U.S. and other countries. Russia Enacts Lengthy Prison Sentences For Wartime Desertion & Refusal To Serve https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1574007764317360128 https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/geroyizm-i-muzhnist-nashih-voyiniv-ne-z... Days after announcing a partial mobilization of national forces amid the ongoing 'special operation' in neighboring Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday enacted significant measures to prevent citizens from fleeing draft notices, as he signed into law stiff penalties for desertion. Putin specifically introduced "mobilization, martial law and wartime" measures into the Russian Criminal Code for the first time, which also covers long prison terms for "voluntary" surrender. Anti-war protester detained in Novosibirsk on September 21, 2022. AFP via Getty Images It comes following days of social media videos out of Russia going viral which show young men pack out airports as well as long queues at border posts at places like the Russia-Georgia border. According to The Moscow Post, some of the penalties include a harsh 15 years in prison: Under the law, "voluntary" surrender is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. But a first-time offender "may be exempted from criminal liability if he took measures for his release, returned to his unit or place of service and did not commit other crimes while in captivity," according to the bill published on the State Duma website. Desertion during a period of mobilization or wartime will be punished by up to 10 years in jail, while conscientious objectors will risk up to three years in prison. Penalties are also stipulated for "looting during wartime" - after the opening months of the Ukraine invasion saw criticism from the West over reports of Russian troops rummaging through stores and residences of occupied areas. RUSSIAN MOBILIZATION IS UNDERWAY ***pic.twitter.com/fJwFEZPbHd — The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) September 24, 2022 Last week Putin's order called up some 300,000 reservists, with some reports speculating that the actual figure could be much higher - as much as one million - according to some sources, though this remains unconfirmed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has meanwhile been encouraging safe passage and protection for Russia soldiers who surrender, according to his words summarized in The Hill: Appealing directly to Russians during an address, Zelensky said Ukraine could guarantee three terms to Russian soldiers in exchange for their surrender. He said such Russians will be treated in a civilized manner, the circumstances of their surrender will remain undisclosed and Ukraine will find a way to ensure those who do not want to return to Russia are not exchanged. Zelensky asserted in making the appeal, "Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians. They just need to replenish the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or the Russian soldiers that were captured." There are fresh reports Sunday saying that Russian President Putin in the coming days will impose a travel ban outside the country for all military age males... Chaos at the Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow today as Russian men try to flee the country before Putin closes the borders. pic.twitter.com/SUHHSKK4Sy — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 25, 2022 Countries like Finland and the Baltic states have taken measures to essentially lock-down their borders to Russian young men suspected of fleeting military service. The Baltic countries have already enacted a de facto blanket travel ban on Russian nationals, while Finland has thus far taken only temporary measures to restrict the flow of Russian travelers.