On September 22, the former mufti of Ukraine Said Ismagilov, who resigned as a clergyman after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and volunteered to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine, addressed the Muslims of Russia in connection with the “grave” announced by the Kremlin:
- Do you need it? Do you want to fight for the Kremlin's imperial ambitions? Do you want to remain disabled for Putin, to lose arms, legs and heads on our Ukrainian soil? We will protect her,” Ismagilov said.
He is convinced that mobilized Russians, including Muslim soldiers, have two options. Run away at all costs, evade mobilization, so that they are not sent to Ukraine as cannon fodder. “Well, if this misfortune happens to you, come out with your hands up, we will take you prisoner. We guarantee you a good attitude, hot tea and the opportunity to perform namaz. Remember that you are Chechens, Ingush, Dagestanis, Tatars, Bashkirs. Remember that you are not cannon fodder to die for the sake of the Kremlin’s ambitions.”
On September 28, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky addressed the indigenous peoples of Russia, including the Caucasus and Siberia. He stated that Dagestanis, Chechens, Ingush, Ossetians, Circassians and other ethnic groups who find themselves under the Russian flag should not die in “Russia’s vile and shameful war.”
“These and other nations, you know who are sending you all to fight in Ukraine. The one who sends wants to make you “cargo 200”. What do you want? I am sure that you want to live, that you are tired of lies. I'm sure you know: we need to fight now! We see that you are resisting the criminal mobilization with which the Russian government wants to cover the failure of its personnel army and criminal orders,” Zelensky said.
According to him, it is necessary to defend our freedom now in the streets and squares, so that we don’t have to fight in the mountains and forests for the right to live when the next waves of mobilization begin.