St. Petersburg police staking out draft evaders at apartment entrances

Military commissariat employees and police officers in St. Petersburg have started waiting inside apartment buildings of men who fail to show up after being served draft orders, city authorities told the Russian outlet RBK.

“Due to the fact that people at a number of addresses in the Kalininsky District who personally received summonses didn’t show up at the military commissariat and didn’t provide their credentials, they were issued summonses a second time. Notification groups consisting of commissariat, police, and district administration employees have begun working to issue summonses in the entrances on the first floors of apartment buildings. Their goal is to notify citizens of their requirement to appear [at the commissariat],” read the local administration’s statement.

Earlier on Friday, the Telegram channel Baza posted a video on Telegram that appears to show officials waiting for draft evaders in an apartment building.

Russia's draft officials: incompetent or indifferent?

Since Russia's mobilization drive began, draftees have complained of abysmal living conditions and severe supply shortages. One video showed future soldiers being told to collect tampons and menstrual pads to use as tourniquets on the battlefield.