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What 26 September 2022 showed about Russia's mobilisation
Summary
A look back at a day when unrest in the North Caucasus, mass departures and new air defence for Ukraine framed the war's security picture.
What did the security picture look like on 26 September 2022, in the days after Russia announced its mobilisation? The reports from that day and the preceding ones point in several directions at once: unrest inside Russia, an exodus of men of fighting age, and new support for Ukraine's air defences.
Protest in the North Caucasus
On 26 September 2022, spontaneous protests against the mobilisation continued in Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria. The day before, on 25 September, mass protests had taken place in Dagestan, with demonstrators clashing with police.
The unrest was not confined to that region. On 24 September, at least 700 people were detained during anti-war protests across Russia. By 25 September, the number detained had risen to more than 2,000.
Leaving the country
Protest was one response to the mobilisation; departure was another. On 24 September, thousands of fighting-age men were reported to be continuing to leave Russia. Massive lines were reported at the country's borders with Georgia and Finland.
Taken together, the detentions, the clashes in Dagestan and the queues at borders show how quickly the mobilisation produced visible strain, both on the streets and at crossing points.
Support and pressure on Ukraine's side
On 25 September, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine had received NASAMS air defence systems from the United States. The confirmation added to Kyiv's air defence capacity.
Ukraine also moved diplomatically. On 24 September, it announced a reduction in the staff of Iran's diplomatic mission, in response to the delivery of drones to Russia as part of the war.
Payments and a public admission
There was also an economic signal from Central Asia. On 25 September, Uzbekistan suspended the use of Russia's Mir card payment system. The stated reason was the need to carry out necessary technical procedures, and the move was said not to be related to sanctions.
On 26 September, Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, publicly admitted for the first time that he had founded the Wagner Group, a private military company accused of war crimes in places where it had been deployed. He had previously denied any involvement with the organisation.
Why the day matters
The reports from 24 to 26 September 2022 show a war that was shaping events well beyond the front line. Inside Russia, the mobilisation was met with protests, detentions and departures. Abroad, Ukraine received air defence systems and took a diplomatic step against Iran over drones, while a Central Asian state paused the use of a Russian payment system. Prigozhin's admission about Wagner added a further public acknowledgement on 26 September.
