Putin’s threats send waves of worry to Russian Maritimers

Inessa Tutsenko, a Russian-Canadian who moved to Canada more than twenty years ago, woke up to a terrifying text message from a friend in Russia.

“Okay, I think this is it for us, I don’t think we’re ever going to meet again,” she says the text message read.

The message was received hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of as many as 300,000 military reservists.

She says her friend is fearful he and his wife, who is a doctor, will be forced to go to the front lines of a war neither believe in.

“We can’t help him and it’s people who will probably never return from war,” Tutsenko said.

While Russia’s defense minister has reportedly said the reservists with relevant combat experience will initially be mobilized, Tutsenko believes the mobilization is much wider than that, and says her husband has some friends who’ve already been issued a notice.

“These people, who are to be mobilized, will be used as cannon fodder. They don’t have necessary training to go and fight,” said Pavel Boubnov, a Halifax-based lawyer. He grew up in Russia and is watching the events unfold closely.

In his speech, Putin also threatened to use nuclear weapons if Russian territory is attacked.

It comes as Ukraine recaptures territory in a counter-offensive and the still Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine promise to hold referendums to join Russia.

Robert Huish, associate professor in the Department of International Development Studies at Dalhousie University, heard Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak with former U.S. president Bill Clinton in New York this week at an event organized by the Clinton Global Initiative.

Huish said, while Zelenskyy was highlighting the need to rebuild Ukraine, Putin is speaking from a position of desperation.

“He knows it’s not gone well,” said Huish. “He’s losing artillery. He’s losing tanks. He’s losing troops."

Nova Scotia lobster fisherman Lex Brukovskiy spent three months in Ukraine as a volunteer driver. He believes Ukraine’s latest success in its counter-offense has boosted morale, but even months ago, he witnessed Ukrainian troops who were extremely motivated.

“I think that’s the biggest difference between the two armies,” Brukovskiy said. “They’re extremely motivated. They know what they’re fighting for. They’re defending their land.”

Putin’s threats don’t surprise Brukovskiy. And he expects some countries are losing patience with the war and are feeling impacts -- such as energy prices -- but believes backing Ukraine and continuing to support its military effort is essential.

“Ukraine is the shield of Europe right now. If Ukraine falls, it’s just like cancer that’s going to spread,” he said.

Tutsenko says she knows Canada has to help Ukrainian refugees and believes it absolutely should, she also believes Canada needs to help Russians who want to leave.

“That would exhaust the number of people that could go to war,” she said.

“It would help so many people benefit and it would hurt the politicians in Russia.”