Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of Russia’s armed forces — supposedly a draft of 300,000 reservists, though there are reports that the draft will ensnare 1.2 million people.
Upon hearing the news, I called a friend in St. Petersburg, who, through tears, explained to me that her 30-year-old son would rather go to jail than fight in Ukraine, the country where his Jewish-Ukrainian grandmother is buried. He now works remotely, for fear of being caught in the streets.
It was the second time I had ever heard my friend cry. The first time was on Feb. 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine.