Russian wives protest against Ukraine war: Growing female movement demands 'Way Home' for husbands

Fifteen women converged in Moscow, adjacent to the eternally lit flame on the Kremlin wall. Stricken with sorrow and shedding tears, they gathered in small groups to pay their tributes by laying flowers next to the flame. These women are the wives of men who have been conscripted and are currently serving on the front line in Ukraine. The selected location is significant; the flame underneath the Kremlin commemorates the lives of millions of Russian soldiers who have perished over the centuries while defending their homeland.

The wives of deployed men are behind the formation of "The Way Home" movement. As reported on a service, they have organized protests in Moscow and Petersburg, with smaller-scale gatherings. A mention on social media speaks of a group of five women. They meet once a week by the Kremlin wall, pleading for the demobilization of their husbands and their return to their families. A plea on one woman's coat reads: "Bring back my husband; I've had enough".

Russian women are fearful for the safety of their husbands and brothers, especially in the face of potential future mobilization. "I fear that before long, there won't be any men alive," states a woman in a separate recording from the protest. "A second wave of mobilization will likely occur, and the men will be deployed indefinitely, and their wives will soon start appearing here with white scarves on, and we will support them in black, God forbid," she added apprehensively.

Despite the weekly protests proceeding unabated and a note against a social media post claiming that "Putin is too scared to arrest them", wives of mobilized men have increasingly come under scrutiny from Russian authorities. The authorities have adopted stringent measures against organizing rallies and warned against "extremism", which became a significant concern in November.

In the Krasnoyarsk region, the wives of conscripted men reported receiving calls from the police, cautioning them about the repercussions of "extremism". The authorities also identified women uniting to plan a rally via a chat group. The police approached these women. The authorities have consistently declined applications for rally permits submitted by women in various cities.