In a gathering organized by The Way Home campaign group, wives and relatives of Russian reservists mobilized for the war in Ukraine came together on Saturday to demand the safe return of their loved ones. The protest took place in central Moscow, where the participants laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, close to the Kremlin walls.

This demonstration marked 500 days since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a "partial mobilization" of up to 300,000 reservists in September 2022. However, the call-up has faced significant opposition, and wives and relatives of these reservists have actively campaigned for their discharge and replacement with contract soldiers.

The Way Home campaign, which organized the protest, called on "wives, mothers, sisters and children" of reservists from across Russia to gather and "demonstrate their unity." Approximately 200 people, according to a popular Russian Telegram news channel estimation, participated in the ninth and largest demonstration of the weekly gatherings organized by The Way Home.

Several media reports have highlighted the detention of about two dozen people during the protest. Most of those detained were journalists, including a Reuters journalist and an AFP video journalist who were covering the story. OVD-Info, an independent website monitoring political arrests in Russia, reported that a total of 27 individuals, mostly journalists, were detained by the authorities during the protest. The detained journalists, mostly men, were apprehended outside Red Square and taken to a police station, but were later released. However, one male protester remained in detention as of Saturday evening.

Moreover, the protest received solidarity from allies of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny and Russian opposition politician Maksim Kats. Despite their demands for the return of the soldiers being ignored by state-controlled media, the protesters firmly rejected accusations made by pro-Kremlin politicians, painting them as Western stooges.

Maria Andreyeva, who has both a husband and brother fighting in Ukraine, expressed her perspective on the situation, calling it a "great tragedy" between two brotherly peoples. She further emphasized that almost every Russian has relatives in Ukraine, which makes the conflict deeply impactful. Andreyeva stated her belief that after the devastation of World War II, there was an expectation that such conflicts would never arise again.

The timing of this protest, just weeks ahead of the Russian presidential election scheduled for March, raises questions about the impact it may have. It is widely expected that President Putin will secure another term in office.

After laying flowers at the monument, the protesters embarked on a march towards Putin's campaign headquarters to present their demands directly to him. Their voices were amplified by former local legislator Boris Nadezhdin, who openly criticized the Kremlin's decision to keep reservists in the ranks for the duration of the ongoing fighting. Nadezhdin emphasized the need for authorities to treat those who fulfill their duty in a respectful manner.

The protest showcased the determination of the soldiers' relatives to bring their loved ones back home safely, while also shedding light on the growing opposition to the Russian presence in the Ukrainian conflict. As tensions continue to escalate, the plight of these families highlights a pressing concern for the Russian government as it faces increased scrutiny both domestically and internationally.